RTX subsidiary BBN Technologies is working to help soldiers maintain uninterrupted communications on contested battlefields with its new “self-healing” system.
Built to ensure continuous data flow for combat air support, the system automatically selects the best available link and reroutes traffic without operator input.
The capability is enabled by the Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency for Agile Combat Employment (PACE4ACE) architecture, which supports multiband communications across diverse channels.
Its plug-and-play interface enables integration with common mission systems, while dynamic real-time routing helps maintain connectivity as battlefield conditions shift.
Self-healing functions ensure continuity even if a link is disrupted, preserving stable communications in dynamic and contested network environments.
“For warfighters on the ground and in the cockpit, PACE4ACE helps ensure critical data never disappears, even under jamming,” said Dr. Sam Nelson, principal investigator at RTX BBN Technologies.
“The network self-heals, so crews can focus on the mission instead of troubleshooting communications.”
The system operates across multiple military and commercial communications pathways, from satellite links to low-power tactical radios.
Tested Under Jamming Conditions
With funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the company demonstrated the system’s performance in real-world scenarios.
Throughout the exercise, the technology reportedly maintained connectivity across four geographically dispersed sites despite network disruptions.
As jamming degraded high-capacity communications links, the system automatically shifted traffic to the next available waveform.
This transition allowed operators to maintain situational awareness and keep Open Mission Systems and Team Awareness Kit applications synchronized.
