To help combat the growing threat to U.S. national security, the Army has recently established Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTFs) to perform integrated operations across multiple types of domains. According to the U.S. Army, the domains that MDTFs operate in include air, land, water, space, cyber, and information environments.
Thwarting enemy anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities in a specific theater is a critical focus of MDTFs as these adversary efforts are intended to prevent the coordination of military activities across their regions of operation.
How Does the Military Use MDTFs?
MDTFs are designed to provide multi-discipline support to a particular theater and currently, the Army is in the process of standing up and deploying a few in various theaters to spread the coverage. To date, the Army has two MDTFs that support operations in Europe and the Pacific. The plan is to create three more MDTFs, an additional Pacific-focused MDTF and two focusing on Arctic and global operations, based on the experiences and lessons learned from creating and operating the first two MDTFs.
One of the core tenets of an effective MDTF is resilient communication in the face of enemy A2/AD. Communication resiliency is the ability to communicate over multiple different media via a secure and trusted communications solution, such as Performance Defense’s 5G communication solution, the EDGE 5G-X.
What Challenges Do MDTFs Face?
Multi-Domain Task Forces fulfill a unique role within the military, combining multiple domain capabilities within a single operational group. Some of the main challenges that MDTFs face include the following:
- Communication: MDTFs are designed to operate in a distributed fashion and combat enemy A2/AD capabilities. Since these capabilities are targeted to disrupt communications, ensuring that the MDTF can effectively collaborate with internal and external partners can pose a challenge.
- Coordination: An MDTF is a task force created from a combination of several battalions and companies with different skill sets designed to operate across multiple domains. Ensuring that these various groups can communicate and coordinate their efforts effectively requires joint training and education regarding the capabilities of various groups.
- Collaboration: While MDTFs are Army task forces, they are intended to collaborate with other service branches. These cross-branch collaborations can be challenging due to both technological and procedural hurdles.
Essential Capabilities for MDTF Success
An MDTF has three core responsibilities, which include:
- “Gain and maintain contact with our adversaries to support the rapid transition to crisis or conflict.”
- “Deter adversaries and shape the environment by providing flexible response options to the combatant commander.”
- “Neutralize adversary A2/AD networks to enable joint freedom of action.”
These three areas of responsibility define the essential capabilities and technologies that MDTFs require to be successful. Some key capabilities include:
- Monitoring: MDTFs need to be capable of monitoring adversary activities during times of “competition” to determine when a switch to crisis or conflict is imminent.
- Communication: MDTFs must retain the capability to communicate internally and with combat commanders to coordinate actions despite the potential for enemy A2/AD effects.
- Deterrence: MDTFs should have deterrence capabilities across multiple different domains that offer flexible options to a combat commander.
Resilient, secure communications systems are essential to all three of an MDTF’s core responsibilities. MDTFs require trusted communications solutions that operate in a wide range of environments to monitor adversary communications, communicate internally, and take offensive action to deter conflict or crisis.
How Performance’s EDGE 5G-X Can Support MDTFs
Performance Defense understands the mission of an inter-connected military and the necessity of resilient communications. Our 5G communications solution, the EDGE 5G-X, provides unbeatable connectivity to various personnel, airborne, ground, and marine systems anywhere in the world. Having undergone extensive mechanical, environmental, and security testing, the device can operate in the most extreme environments. Because every mission is unique, the EDGE 5G-X is designed with an open environment allowing for rapid customization to meet your mission and certification needs.
To learn more about how the EDGE 5G-X can support MDTF initiatives, visit www.performancedefense.com/edge-5g-x/
