ARMY AVIATION COMMUNICATION SPACE – INTEGRATED GROUND & AIR OPERATIONS
Apr 8, 2025
MISSION REQUIREMENT
The technical capabilities available in today’s Army combat helicopters are unparalleled. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) convincingly demonstrated the tremendous effect that Army Aviation delivers to the modern battlefield. Aviation forces performed exceptionally well in fulfilling reconnaissance, fire-support and maneuver missions.
Reliable data communications to provide connectivity between and among airborne and ground platforms was crucial to the success of many of these missions. The ability to send targeting and situational-awareness data in near real time is paramount. Achieving the latter is one of the most significant accomplishments made for Army Aviation. For over 25 years, Army Aviation has continued to evolve with innovation in data communications in support of tactical operations for Army units and allies in the field.
BUILDING ON DESERT STORM
During Operation Desert Storm the technological advantage enjoyed by U.S. forces was confirmed. Every aspect of the Army’s communication network was stressed to the limit and Army Aviation was no exception.
In the years following Desert Storm, Army Aviation relentlessly pursued programs to improve its communications networks.
For the last 20 years, the Project Executive Office (PEO) for Army Aviation strived to ensure the current and future relevance of Army aviation within the ever-evolving network-centric Battlefield, by providing critical interoperability enablers across the fleet and positioning aviation as the key contributor to the interim and objective force common tactical picture. Focusing on software-based solutions to meet the ever-growing mission needs of the soldier, PEO Aviation has been instrumental with improving the Army’s rotary-winged platforms to uniquely support aviation data communication current and future needs by implementing equipment-support programs based upon open systems architecture.
THE IMPROVED DATA MODEM (IDM)
The Improved Data Modem (IDM) provides the essential routing and gateway functionality necessary to support seamless data communication over combat-net radio systems and across multiple tactical networks simultaneously.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Presently spanning the Army’s fire-support net and the tactical Internet, the latest generation of IDM-based communication is the first in its class to achieve common wireless data communication support for both air and ground forces. The IDM has been used to accomplish this feat on a multi-service basis, supporting Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force operations. For the US Army the IDM is fielded on the modernized versions of CH-47F, AH-64 and UH-60 rotary wing aircraft.
The IDM grew out of the Army’s 1999 embarkation upon a journey to catapult itself into the digital age, and was also the result of then-Army Chief of Staff GEN Dennis J. Reimer’s belief that the time had come for the Army to “shape the battlefield through information dominance.”
The PEO for Army aviation answered the challenge by developing the next generation of IDM, which enabled modernized Army Aviation aircraft to exchange digital JVMF messages with Army Battle Command System (ABCS) systems. Today, the IDMs are performing extremely well throughout the Army Aviation Fleet supporting Operations in every environment throughout the world.