Rafferty details LRPF support for upcoming Project Convergence

The Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team's essential tasks for the Army's Project Convergence demonstration next month are to neutralize an air defense system and destroy a long-range artillery system, according to the CFT’s director.

Project Convergence, to be held at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, will test sensor-to-shooter technology using artificial intelligence to explore the Army's role in the joint all-domain command and control effort led by the Air Force.

LRPF CFT Director Brig. Gen. John Rafferty yesterday said, during a virtual Heritage Foundation event, there is "micro and macro learning demand" across the CFTs participating in the event.

"Behind [those essential fires support tasks] . . . we've got to receive the targeting information from a [Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node] surrogate," he said. "The TITAN system isn't ready yet, but there's a process and a system that we're using as a surrogate for that, so that's being generated. Then, transmitting across the tactical network to AFATDS, which will send the fire command down to ERCA for that. There [are] a lot of learning demands in that in terms of time standards and accuracy standards, and [it] will inform some crew drill inside the ERCA."

TITAN will be able to both actively task and receive data back down directly in theater, Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing CFT Director Willie Nelson said earlier this month.

As part of Project Convergence, the APNT CFT will be interfacing live, space-based sensor data to the aviation community and partnering with the LRPF CFT to conduct a live sensor-to-shooter demonstration with its new weapon systems, including the Extended Range Cannon Artillery.