Soldiers from United States European Command and U.S. Forces Korea recently visited the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center’s Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate to familiarize themselves with the system and meet the S3I field service experts that will be embedded with their units supporting IBCS.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (July 29, 2025) – It is a transformative command and control system designed to modernize the U.S. Army’s air and missile defense capabilities.

The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System is a “plug-and-fight” system that leverages any integrated sensor to support engagements with the best weapon. Soldiers from United States European Command and U.S. Forces Korea recently visited the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center’s Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate to familiarize themselves with the system and meet the S3I field service experts that will be embedded with their units supporting IBCS.

For the Soldiers, it was more than just learning how to use a piece of equipment; it’s an inside look into the future of a modernized Army.

“What stood out to me is how they are streamlining the equipment to where there are less points of failure,” said Capt. August St. Louis with the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. “This will revolutionize warfare. I am jealous of the new lieutenants who will get to touch this equipment.”

The Integrated Fires Mission Command project office reached out to S3I for a solution to update software and test hardware on IBCS Major End Items, or MEIs, prior to fielding to the user.

“S3I stood up the System Integration & Verification, or SIV, effort to fulfill the Integrated Fires Mission Command project office’s need on software updating and hardware functional tests prior to fielding,” said Adam Meyer, program manager for the IBCS S3I effort. “IFMC also required embedded field support experts for OCONUS locations due to accelerated fielding priorities. Because of the SIV effort having the IBCS MEIs on site for checkout, it presented a unique opportunity to train personnel on actual tactical equipment. This became the inception of the field support effort S3I is executing for IBCS.”

The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System is a “plug-and-fight” system that leverages any integrated sensor to support engagements with the best weapon.

DEVCOM AvMC and specifically S3I will play a large role in the future of IBCS. S3I supports software and system integration, modeling and simulation, prototyping, hardware functionality testing and field support.

“Eventually all PATRIOT battalions, all Indirect Fire Protection Capability and maneuver Air Defense units will have IBCS,” Meyer said. “The benefit the SIV effort provides is risk reduction on IBCS MEIs. So basically, we will find issues and fix issues here at S3I instead of finding and fixing issues at the unit.”

For those in the unit, the collaboration with S3I is a win/win.

“This new system is going to give us a lot of amazing capabilities,” said Capt. Eathan Small with the 35th. “As a tactician, I can’t wait to get to work.”

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The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, is Army Futures Command’s leader and integrator within a global ecosystem of scientific exploration and technological innovation. DEVCOM expertise spans eight major competency areas to provide integrated research, development, analysis and engineering support to the Army and DOD. From rockets to robots, drones to dozers, and aviation to artillery – DEVCOM innovation is at the core of the combat capabilities American Warfighters need to win on the battlefield of the future. For more information, visit devcom.army.mil/.