Forward Thinking:
Multi-Domain Since Inception

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush issued a directive to increase the United States’ missile defense capability. Part of this directive entailed the development of a Ballistic Missile Defense System that layered defenses to “intercept missiles in all phases of their flight and against all ranges of threats."

At the heart of this layered missile defense would be a resilient, all‐domain system that would network space‐based, ground-based and sea‐based sensors and weapon systems, enabling the highest probability of defeating advancing threats. That system was then, and remains today, the backbone of American ballistic missile defense – the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system.

Presidential directive requested the layered missile defense capability be delivered in 2004 – less than two years from the initiating Presidential directive. The development of C2BMC required a collaborative enterprise of the best and most experienced talent from the defense industry and United States government. In 2002, Lockheed Martin, given its extensive experience developing command and control systems for the United States Air Force, was selected to lead a collective team from across the defense industry.

To meet the urgent timeframe, the team set up three different laboratories, co-located with warfighters, to enable concurrent spiral development of capabilities. This environment took down all the service walls and provided the C2BMC NAtional Team with the environment and rapid acquisition decision authority to operationally field the integrating element of the BMDS in 2004, less than two years since its origin. It was a formula for success.

What should be clear is that today’s C2BMC looks nothing like the C2BMC of 2004. With its open, extensible architecture, this system has transformed into a true enabler for joint all domain operations – the next generation of multi-domain combat.

While the C2BMC system provides the United States with a revolutionary approach to missile defense, its open architecture foundation enables the system to be much more, changing and flexing with the needs and advancements of threats.

As the MDA addresses its expanded mission set of hypersonic, cruise and ballistic missile threats, the Lockheed Martin-led C2BMC National Team will continue working closely in a one team, one mission environment to bring innovation, agility and expanded capability into C2BMC.