Updated October 8, 2020
The Army’s Project Convergence
What Is the Army’s Project
network are those command, control, communications,
Convergence?
intelligence, and computer systems used by the Army in
Project Convergence is what the Army calls a “campaign of
combat.
learning,” designed to further integrate the Army into the
Joint Force. It is how the Army plans to be a part of Joint
Figure 1. Representative Exercise Operational
All Domain Command and Control (JADC2), the
Scenario
Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) plan to connect sensors
from all the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine
Corps, Navy, and Space Force—as well as Special
Operations Forces (SOF), into a single network which,
theoretically, could be more effective and less costly.
Reportedly, on September 29, 2020, the Army and Air
Force signed a two-year agreement to collaborate on
developing combined JADC2, affecting future joint force
training, exercises, and demonstrations.
Designed around five core elements—soldiers, weapons
systems, command and control, information, and terrain—
Source: From Army Briefing provided to CRS dated September 10,
Army Futures Command (AFC) plans to run Project
2020
Convergence on an annual cycle; achieving objectives from
One of the experiments at PC20 reportedly included using
frequent experiments with technology, equipment, and
low-earth orbit satellites and Grey Eagle UAVs to perform
soldier feedback throughout the year and culminating in an
annual exercise or demonstration. In basic terms, the Army
sensing for air targets and simultaneously on the ground to
detect a target. Data from the two systems was passed back
reportedly wants to “take the service’s big ideas for future
to an organization at Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA,
warfare and test them in the real world. The Army wants to
where the target was processed.
figure out what works and what needs fixing—and figure
that out as early on as possible, when it’s much cheaper to
make changes.”
The data was then passed back to Yuma Proving Ground to
a system to engage the target—either a self-propelled
Project Convergence 2020 (PC20)
artillery system such as the Extended Range Cannon
Artillery (ERCA) system currently under development, a
Taking place at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ between
August 11 and September 1, 2020 and involving about 500
Grey Eagle, or another ground platform. This entire
experiment was supposedly accomplished within 20
personnel, Project Convergence 2020 (PC20) was intended
seconds.
to provide experience to support decisions to
change how the Army fights by shaping how it
The Army’s Plans for Project
organizes for combat;
Convergence 2021 and 2022 (PC21 and
PC22)
highlight opportunities to optimize operational
While the Army intends Project Convergence to be “a
processes;
campaign of learning” and an annual event, currently, the
Army has made planning information publicly available
evolve how the Army visualizes, describes, decides, and
only for 2021 and 2022.
acts on enemy threats; and
Project Convergence 2021(PC21)
build soldier and leader trust in emergent technologies.
According to the Army, in 2021 they plan to transition from
an Army-exclusive operation and integrate with other
PC20 concentrated on what the Army calls the “close fight”
Services and unspecified government agencies. The Army
by integrating new enabling technologies at the lowest
is said to have commitments from the Navy, Air Force,
operational level so that tactical networks could facilitate
Marine Corps, and the Intelligence Community to
faster decisions. At the unit level, PC20 focused on
participate. The Army plans for about 1,000 personnel
Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), Combat Aviation Brigades
from the Joint Force to participate in PC21. The Army’s
(CAB), and Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced
focus on systems for PC21 is to make decisions faster at
(ESB-E). At the system level, PC20 involved the Army’s
echelons, moving from the BCT to the Division and Multi-
MQ 1C Grey Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the
Domain Task Force (MDTF) level. PC21 also plans to
Air Launched Effects (ALE) —a multi-purpose helicopter-
integrate aspects of DOD’s draft Joint Warfighting
launched system—and the tactical network. The tactical
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s Project Convergence
Concept, which is expected to be published in December
Convergence? Are they merely casual participants and have
2020.
similar service-specific demonstrations or experiments
planned or underway? Or is there value in “elevating”
Draft objectives for PC21 include demonstrating
Project Convergence to the Joint level? Such a Joint
endeavor might result in expanded Service participation
a cloud-based network delivering the right data, to the
which might truly test DOD’s new Joint Warfighting
right place, at the right time.
Concept. In addition, such a Joint Project Convergence
conditional autonomy in target detection, recognition,
could result in budgetary savings within the Services and
and prioritization.
DOD.
increased range and lethality of long range fires.
Involvement of Allies and Partners
artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to enhance
As noted, PC22 plans to include mission command
visualization, understanding and maneuver on the
elements (MCEs) from selected Allies and Partners with the
battlefield.
intent of enabling them to seamlessly plug into the network
and establish a common operating picture with U.S. forces.
joint air and missile defense (AMD) integration from
While such interoperability can be viewed as essential for
sensing, to cueing, through engagement.
Coalition operations, this could prove elusive for some
interoperability across Army and Joint systems to enable Allies and Partners who lack the resources and technology
Joint All Domain Operations.
afforded to DOD. Taking this into consideration, does the
Army plan to test alternative means to integrate less-
operations in contested electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) capable Allies and Partners into operations envisioned in
environment.
the new Joint Warfighting Concept? Or, instead, will they
be expected to play “catch up,” possibly excluding them
Project Convergence 2022 (PC22)
from participating in future Coalition operations?
In PC22, the Army plans to include allies and partners -
focusing on closes allies and security partners such as
Project Convergence: Operations in a Denied
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Environment
The project is to expand to the Combined Joint Task Force
and Signature Management
(CJTF) level and bring more technologies and assets to the
In examining the basic goal of Project Convergence—
battlefield. The goal is to exercise from competition
integrating sensors and shooters to more rapidly identify
through conflict and return to competition levels of conflict.
and engage targets at close and long distances—it becomes
In addition to the CJTF (Corps and Division-level), the
apparent that achieving this goal depends on unfettered
Army also plans to include a Multi-Domain Task Force
access to the electromagnetic spectrum. As previously
(MDTF), Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), and Allied and
noted, one of the objectives of PC21 is to successfully
Partner Mission Command Elements in PC22.
conduct operations in a contested electromagnetic spectrum
Potential Issues for Congress
environment and it is likely that future Project
Convergences will continue to stress this ability. This raises
the issue of how the Army will function if instead of the
How Might Project Convergence Affect Army
EMS spectrum being “contested” it is instead “denied.” For
Force Structure and Modernization Efforts?
example, what if a significant part of the EMS is “denied”
The Army has compared Project Convergence to the
as it would be if U.S. space-based assets are attacked and
Army’s Louisiana Maneuvers conducted all across the
significantly damaged or destroyed? Are there
United States in 1940 and 1941 that played a major role in
redundancies (systems or processes) envisioned for testing
how the Army organized for, equipped itself for, and fought
during future Project Convergences to address how the
World War II. If this is the case, by what formal
Army would detect and engage targets beyond visual range
mechanisms or processes, will the observations/findings of
if aerial or space assets become unavailable by kinetic
Project Convergence inform Army force structure and
actions or by some other means such as electronic warfare
modernization decisions, as well as those of Congress? Will
or cyberattack?
this be exclusively an Army Futures Command function?
Will other entities, such as Combatant Commands, play a
Another related issue is that of signature management for
role? How will the results of Project Convergence be
the Army’s networks and systems under development. In
reflected in the Army’s Planning, Programing, Budget and
this context, signature management refers to all the various
Execution (PPBE) process? How does the Army plan to
signatures—visual, infrared, radar, sound,
communicate with Congress as PC21 and PC22 move from
electromagnetic—that a system emits. Potential enemies
planning to execution?
could also rapidly detect these signatures and engage and
destroy U.S. systems in a similar manner as Project
How Much “Buy In” Is There from the Other
Convergence is attempting. Signature management seeks to
Services?
control and reduce the detectability of systems and their
As noted, PC21 plans to expand involvement from the other
vulnerability to attack. Given the importance of signature
Services. While Navy, Air Force, Marine, Space Force, and
management, what are the Army’s objectives for future
SOF involvement will likely benefit the Army as it
Project Convergences efforts to address signature
endeavors to refine its role in the new Joint Warfighting
management associated with networks and systems?
Concept, how much “value” are the other Services and U.S.
Special Operations Command deriving from Project
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
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The Army’s Project Convergence
IF11654
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