FBCB2

FBCB2
Name	FBCB2
Origin	United States
Type	Command and Control System
Service	1990s–present
Used by	United States Army, United States Marine Corps
Wars	Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom

FBCB2 FBCB2 is a tactical digital battlefield command, control, communications and situational awareness system used by the United States Army and United States Marine Corps. It provided vehicle- and unit-mounted mapping, Blue Force Tracking, and messaging functions that supported operations in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. The program influenced later systems adopted by NATO, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, and several allied armed forces.

Overview

FBCB2 combined satellite-linked positioning and data dissemination to present friendly unit locations, graphics, and text on ruggedized displays for commanders at echelons from squad to corps. It integrated with platforms such as the M1 Abrams, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, M2 Bradley, Stryker, HMMWV, and lighter tactical vehicles used by 101st Airborne Division (United States), 1st Cavalry Division (United States), and 3rd Infantry Division (United States). The capability interoperated with systems fielded by North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners and components of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for combined-arms operations.

Development and History

Development began as a response to lessons from Gulf War (1990–1991), where forces under General H. Norman Schwarzkopf faced challenges in situational awareness. Early program efforts involved contractors including Rockwell Collins, Boeing, Raytheon, and the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command. Milestones included prototype demonstrations during exercises with United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and formal procurement using acquisition pathways influenced by the 1990s Revolution in Military Affairs. Deployment accelerated in the early 2000s during sustained operations led by commanders such as General Tommy Franks and General David Petraeus.

System Architecture and Components

FBCB2 consisted of integrated subsystems: a rugged human-machine interface, a positioning unit tied to Global Positioning System, a tactical radio network using waveforms such as the Enhanced Position Location Reporting System and compatible radios from Harris Corporation, and backend servers hosted in tactical operations centers. Key hardware vendors included General Dynamics, IBM, Lockheed Martin, and specialized displays from Garmin and ruggedization by Panasonic. Software components used map databases from commercial providers and standards coordinated with Defense Information Systems Agency and United States Army Cyber Command for security and interoperability.

Capabilities and Features

FBCB2 provided near-real-time Blue Force Tracking, friendly and hostile iconography, text messaging, and the exchange of graphics and mission orders across units. It supported integration with artillery fire-control systems such as those used by the Field Artillery Branch (United States Army), aviation elements including AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk, and logistics elements like units from the Quartermaster Corps (United States). The system enabled command decision cycles aligned with concepts practiced by United States Training and Doctrine Command and facilitated combined operations with formations from the British Army, Canadian Armed Forces, and Australian Defence Force.

Operational Use and Integration

Operational units employed FBCB2 in convoy operations, urban combat, close air support coordination with assets like the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II, and joint task force headquarters including elements of US Central Command and Multinational Force Iraq. Integration paths linked FBCB2 outputs into command posts used by staff officers trained at institutions such as the United States Army War College and Marine Corps University. Exercises demonstrating interoperability included multinational events run by NATO Allied Command Transformation and bilateral maneuvers with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

Limitations and Criticism

Criticism of FBCB2 addressed bandwidth limits over satellite and line-of-sight radios, reliance on Global Positioning System subject to jamming, and user interface issues reported by units including the 82nd Airborne Division (United States). Analysts from think tanks such as the RAND Corporation and testimony to committees like the United States Senate Armed Services Committee noted sustainment costs, vendor lock-in concerns, and challenges in scaling to dense urban electromagnetic environments encountered in Iraq War operations. Upgrades sought to mitigate latency, improve cyber resilience under guidance from United States Cyber Command, and enhance human factors based on feedback from operators at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg.

International Variants and Successors

FBCB2 influenced international programs and successor systems, prompting capabilities such as the British Army's Bowman system, the Canadian Army's command and control systems, and networked situational awareness efforts in the German Bundeswehr and French Armed Forces. Follow-on U.S. programs included projects within the Blue Force Tracking evolution, integration into the Project Manager Mission Command, and eventual migration toward systems aligned with the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept. Several allied nations implemented tailored variants interoperable via standards coordinated through NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency and bilateral procurement involving firms like Thales Group and Elbit Systems.

Category:Military command and control systems