by Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow
In a significant first for the Navy, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) has become the first vessel to operate a fully virtualized Aegis Combat System, successfully intercepting an airborne target with a missile.
This achievement, realized during the final phase of the ship’s Combat System Ship Qualification Trials, represents a substantial stride towards the Navy’s broader objective of deploying a unified, force-level integrated combat system across all surface vessels.
Rear Adm. Seiko Okano, the Program Executive Officer for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), reflected on the system’s evolution, stating, “In a span of just three years, we’ve transitioned from a disconnected testbed virtualized combat system on USS Monterey (CG 61) to a fully virtualized system that governs all weapons and sensors.”
Okano further noted, “This significant leap in swiftly integrating new technology into our naval forces not only expedites the delivery of enhanced capabilities but also yields invaluable data on system performance at sea. This data is immediately incorporated into our ongoing development process. I extend my gratitude to the innovative team at IWS, the NAVSEA Warfare Centers, and our industry collaborators for showcasing what can be achieved.”
USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) commenced operations with a virtualized Aegis Combat System in July 2023. In 2024, it is projected that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), along with five additional ships and four land-based test sites, will also operate virtualized Aegis combat systems.
The Aegis Combat System operates as a comprehensive, automated command-and-control (C2) and weapons management system, engineered to function as an all-encompassing weapon system, from initial detection to final target neutralization. The core of this system is the AN/SPY-1, a sophisticated, automatic detection and tracking, multi-functional phased-array radar. This potent radar is capable of executing search, tracking, and missile guidance operations concurrently, boasting a tracking capability of over 100 targets.
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The virtualization of the Aegis Combat System represents a major step forward in naval warfare. By decoupling the software and hardware, the combat system software can run on a generic server instead of proprietary hardware. This allows for faster and efficient software updates, which previously took weeks and rendered the ship offline. With the virtualized system, updates can be completed in just days or even hours.
The U.S. Army is at the forefront of pioneering technology for extended-range assaults. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a pivotal innovation within the Army’s portfolio of long-range precision weaponry. This missile, capable of being launched from both the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System, will play a crucial role in the Army’s pursuit of a deep-strike capability to counteract technologies from Russia and China.
Comparatively, the virtualized Aegis Combat System offers similar advantages in terms of range and precision. However, its virtualized nature allows for more quick updates, making it a more flexible and adaptable system.
The successful implementation of the virtualized Aegis Combat System on the USS Winston S. Churchill represents a significant advancement in naval warfare. As emerging threats and technological advancements continue to evolve, the ability to quickly and efficiently update and improve combat systems will be crucial. The virtualized Aegis Combat System, with its ability to receive over-the-air software updates much like a cellphone, represents a promising step towards maintaining the U.S. Navy’s technological edge in the face of these challenges.
OLAWALE ABAIRE is a Warrior researcher, writer and analyst who has written many published nonfiction books
