The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) is the future command and control system for U.S. Army air defense assets. It is intended is to integrate the communications between weapon launchers, radars, and the operators, allowing an air defense unit, such as a Patriot battery, to fire its interceptors using information provided by the radar of another. 1 In some cases, this integration will permit an Army air defense unit to defend a larger area, as the unit’s engagement zone will be less limited by the view of its own organic radar. It will also reduce the chance of interceptor wastage, by reducing the chance that two or more air defense units will engage the same target. Once deployed, IBCS will take the place of seven other Army command and control systems currently in use.

IBCS Testing
The system has been used in a number of tests beginning in May 2015. In a test conducted on April 8, 2016, IBCS operated against dual threats, a cruise and ballistic missile. It displayed its intended capability by linking sensors from one defense system to interceptors from another, defeating both incoming missiles.