In the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, our Warfighters need solutions that extend beyond the line of sight. In 2013, United States Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) recognized its existing Joint Radio Relay (JR2) capability needed new technology to overcome terrain and other obstructions that impede secure communications and close air support for the warfighter.
The opportunity presented a daunting technical challenge with a bold timeframe for delivery. The new JR2 had to handle both encrypted and unencrypted communications without onsite cryptographic equipment. JR2 had to be operational when USAFCENT launched its new Battlespace Command and Control Center, which meant compressing a multi-year endeavor into just over 12 months.
