{"id":50186,"date":"2022-10-11T13:48:36","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T13:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/10\/11\/us-army-tinkering-with-aerial-tier-network-to-link-pacific-soldiers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:45:09","slug":"us-army-tinkering-with-aerial-tier-network-to-link-pacific-soldiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2022\/10\/11\/us-army-tinkering-with-aerial-tier-network-to-link-pacific-soldiers\/","title":{"rendered":"US Army tinkering with aerial-tier network to link Pacific soldiers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Army is interested in using airborne assets to extend lines of communication across the vast Indo-Pacific region, where watery expanses, thick foliage and technologically advanced adversaries can hamstring connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experimentation with the so-called aerial tier is happening at Project Convergence, the service\u2019s large-scale test of technologies meant to advance the Pentagon\u2019s Joint All-Domain Command and Control<\/a> philosophy. That effort is meant to \u201cextend the network and really get it distributed further so\u201d troops in the region can talk at greater distances, according to Maj. Gen. Jeth Rey, the director of the Army\u2019s Network Cross-Functional Team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDistributed comms, distributed command and control \u2014 we like that part of it,\u201d Rey told reporters Oct. 10 on the sidelines of the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s annual convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aerial-tier networking boosts connectivity by using airborne systems, such as drones,<\/a> to bridge large distances or circumvent signal-impeding obstacles, like mountains and buildings. Unlike satellites, which can be slow to deploy and can be jammed or destroyed, aerial-tier gear can deploy quickly overhead when and where soldiers need it, providing a critical link to friendly forces, whether that\u2019s on an island next door or in a neighborhood down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army is investing in the aerial tier as the Pentagon postures itself for larger-scale conflicts with China and Russia \u2014 the sort of fights that spread out troops and demand speedy reactions. This year\u2019s Project Convergence will feature European and Indo-Pacific scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\t