Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2)

U.S. Army short-range air-defense command-and-control software that fuses sensor tracks and cues shooters such as Avenger, IM-SHORAD and counter-UAS systems for maneuver-force protection.

In service since 1993

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

US ITAR-controlled

Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.

Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale

Fielded & proven

Operator data not public

In service since 1993. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Overview

FAAD C2 links short-range air-defense sensors and shooters, including Sentinel radar, Avenger and IM-SHORAD, into a single engagement-coordination network protecting Army maneuver formations from aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and drones. It has evolved over multiple software increments and is a key node feeding the wider Army integrated air-and-missile-defense architecture that includes the Northrop Grumman IBCS.

Full specifications

Software & C2

Command, control, mission and combat-system software capability.

Software type What the software does: combat management, battle management, mission planning, fire control, EW management, cyber defense or ISR fusion.: Air command and control
Operating domains Warfare domains the software covers: air, land, sea, subsurface, space, cyber. More domains means broader joint integration.: Land, Air
Data links Tactical data links and networking standards supported: Link 16, Link 22, MADL, TADIL. Overlap indicates interoperability.: Link 16, EPLRS
Open architecture Standards-based, modular design (FACE, OMS/UCI, SOSA) versus a closed proprietary stack. Open architecture eases upgrades and third-party integration.: Proprietary
Integrates with Platforms, sensors or effectors the software is designed to command or fuse.: Sentinel radar, Avenger, IM-SHORAD, counter-UAS sensors

Specifications compiled from public Northrop Grumman and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.

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