BACN reaps key Order of Daedalians weapons system award

  • Published
  • By Chuck Paone
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  An Electronic Systems Center-managed airborne communication system that's meeting urgent U.S. warfighting needs has received a major award from the Order of Daedalians, a national fraternity of military pilots.

The Weapons System Award recognizes major contributions to the outstanding development of an aerial weapons system, as nominated by the military services. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz selected the Battlefield Airborne Communication Node, or BACN, as the Air Force nominee.

"BACN has provided the warfighter an exceptional battlefield capability by interconnecting disparate data and voice networks," General Schwartz wrote when selecting BACN as the Air Force nominee. "By closing the information gap, BACN has made significant improvements to operational command, control, and communications; situational awareness; and targeting effectiveness."

BACN can relay voice communication over long distances, providing range extension, and can bridge between frequencies. For instance, a convoy commander on a frequency-limited radio can talk with a supporting close air support pilot on a different frequency by using BACN. The system also extends the range of data links and translates communications from various systems, enabling information sharing across the theater of operations.

This provides situational awareness of friendly and enemy forces, said Amy Smith, the BACN program manager.

"BACN offers the potential to save lives by enabling digitally enabled rapid response, in the form of close air support, which is critical for ground forces taking direct or indirect fire," she said.

Col. Cordell DeLaPena, director of the Airborne Network Division at ESC, said that he's extremely proud of his BACN team and noted that the system is a prime example of aerial networking advances.

"Battlefield communication advancements in aerial gateway technology continue to enhance our warfighters' combat effectiveness and capability to stop the adversary, while saving countless lives of our troops and allied forces," said Colonel DeLaPena.

The Order of Daedalians was founded in 1934 to honor aviators who served in World War I. The Daedalians Weapon Systems Award, as well as the accompanying Colonel Franklin C. Wolfe Memorial Trophy, is presented annually to individuals, groups or organizations judged to have contributed the most outstanding weapons system development in the aerospace environment.

The organization presented the award to the program management team at ESC and prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corp.