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Kandahar Airfield BACN engineers

“Kandahar Airfield BACN engineers” poster art.

Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) Engineers: Since February of 2010, these dedicated engineers have deployed around the world to maintain & operate this airborne communications relay & gateway system.  Based out of San Diego California, BACN engineers are comprised of many disciplines from networking to operations to logistics.

BACN is amazing.  Could more be even said? The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) is a United States Air Force (USAF) airborne communications relay and gateway system hosted on a variety of aircraft designated as the EQ-4B (Global Hawk variant) and E-11A (Global Express modification). BACN enables real-time information flow across the battlespace between similar and dissimilar tactical data link and voice systems through relay, bridging, and data translation in Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) situations. By acting as a translation proxy between dissimilar communications systems, it allows interoperability without modification to the individual platforms’ systems.

Because of its flexible deployment options and ability to operate at high altitudes, BACN can enable air and surface forces to overcome communications difficulties caused by complex mountainous terrain and range while performing as a key node for tactical networks. BACN provides decision-makers at all operational echelons with critical information and increases situational awareness by correlating tactical and operational air and ground pictures. For example, an Army unit on the ground currently sees a different picture than an aircrew, but with BACN, both can see the same picture.

On 22 February 2010, the Air Force and Northrop Grumman BACN Team received the 2010 Network Centric Warfare Award from the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement. The 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group and stationed at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

Kandahar Airfield also known as Kandahar International Airport is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. It serves as the nation’s second main international airport and as one of the largest military bases, capable of housing up to 250 aircraft of all type.

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