RTX’s BBN Technologies has demonstrated an auto-switching communications system designed to keep critical data flowing in contested environments, addressing a key challenge for modern air operations. The system, known as PACE4ACE, routes traffic across a mix of military and commercial pathways, from satellite links to low-power tactical radios, and automatically selects the best available connection when others are jammed, fragmented or unavailable.
Funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory, the demonstration showed that four geographically dispersed sites could remain connected even when high-capacity links came under jamming. When disruption occurred, the system shifted traffic to the next viable waveform without operator input, maintaining situational awareness and synchronizing applications such as Open Mission Systems and the Team Awareness Kit.
PACE4ACE is based on a Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency architecture tailored for Agile Combat Employment concepts. According to RTX BBN, the compact, low-SWaP system supports multiple frequency bands, integrates in a plug-and-play manner with common mission systems, and performs dynamic, real-time routing to adapt to changing conditions. The demonstration is aimed at enabling dispersed, contested air support units to sustain secure, resilient communications across satellite, radio and low-power links.