NCMC - ITW/AA System

The NCMC - ITW/AA System program, under Program Element PE 1203906SF, is a critical Air Force and Space Force initiative focused on the research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Cheyenne Mountain Complex (NCMC) Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) system. The primary objective of this program is to provide timely, unambiguous, and continuous warning and attack assessment of air, missile, and space threats to North America and allied geographical theaters. This system supports national strategic objectives by integrating and correlating missile launch and air surveillance information from certified sources. It enables rapid dissemination of warnings to the President, Canadian National Leadership, the Secretary of Defense, the National Military Command Center, and Combatant Commanders.

A major line item within this program centers on coordinating and facilitating integration between multiple ITW/AA System Program Offices across the United States Space Force (USSF) and United States Air Force (USAF). The objective is to ensure the ITW/AA Weapon System delivers accurate, timely, and continuous warning and characterization information on atmospheric, ballistic missile, and space attacks. Specific activities include configuration change control, architecture management, standardized review and assessment of interface requirements, and collaboration with key stakeholders to maintain mission data integrity. The program also supports efforts to develop agile scenario-based test and training environments for missile warning, missile defense, and space domain awareness sensors.

Another key component aims to integrate new data sources such as the Ballistic Missile Defense Communication Node and Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Communications Network from the Missile Defense Agency. The goal is to enhance existing displays and databases with multi-domain metadata, improving threat assessment and attack characterization for emerging missile threats, including those from non-traditional sources. This effort increases the accuracy of source data for missile warning missions and ensures seamless integration into the Combatant Commanders Integrated Command and Control System, supporting a common operating picture and reducing ambiguity between missile defense and warning displays.

A supporting initiative is designed to consolidate ITW/AA-related intelligence on current missile threats using modern technology, agile processes, and automation. This effort integrates strategic and theater missile warning data and develops algorithms to identify and characterize threats, enhancing the ability of warfighters to provide timely and unambiguous missile warnings to National Command Authorities. The program also supports the development of advanced models and algorithms for improved threat detection and assessment.

Development of an Assessment Management System is focused on planning, configuration control, and interoperability across USSF and USAF missile warning, missile defense, and air warning systems. This effort involves modernizing health system requirements and aligning them across multiple organizations, enabling rapid response and improved system resiliency in contested space domains. Activities include technical analysis, experimentation, prototyping, and leveraging commercial and international partnerships to address emerging threats.

Test and evaluation activities are planned to validate the integration of non-traditional data sources and the effectiveness of new models and algorithms. Formal developmental and operational tests are scheduled to ensure that enhancements to the ITW/AA system and missile warning/missile track capabilities meet operational requirements and provide reliable, actionable information to decision-makers. These efforts are supported by competitive contract awards and collaborations with industry, government labs, and academic partners, ensuring a robust acquisition strategy that leverages a wide range of expertise and technological solutions.