(HUNTSVILLE, AL)– CJADC2 is the U.S. Department of Defense’s vision for seamless command and control across all military domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber) and service branches. Instead of each service developing stovepiped solutions, CJADC2 calls for integrating efforts so every sensor can feed every shooter in real time. Each service has embarked on its own modernization projects under this umbrella. The Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), the Army’s Project Convergence, the Navy’s Project Overmatch, and the Marine Corps’ Project Dynamis are all service-specific initiatives contributing to the broader CJADC2 construct. CJADC2 serves as the connective framework, with each service integral to achieving a fully networked, multi-domain force.
ABMS: A Key Example within CJADC2
As the Air Force’s contribution to CJADC2, Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) is a flagship effort to enhance multi-domain operations. ABMS is developing the “digital infrastructure” needed to rapidly connect sensors and shooters and share data across all domains. In practice, ABMS aims to let Air Force and Space Force assets (and those of other services) instantly pass targeting data, intelligence, and communications to each other – enabling any shooter (aircraft, satellite, vehicle or effector) to act on data from any sensor. This system-of-systems approach is seen as “the centerpiece of linking sensors to shooters” in future conflicts.
ABMS is not a single platform but a networked “battle network” that leverages cloud computing, advanced datalinks, and AI to provide decision-makers with timely information. In fact, the Air Force recently rebranded ABMS as the Department of the Air Force Battle Network, underscoring that it is an architecture for CJADC2 “kill chains” rather than a standalone system. ABMS has been highlighted in major joint exercises (or “on-ramp” events) where new technologies — from AI algorithms to resilient communications — are tested to speed up the “sensor-to-shooter” cycle. By accelerating data collection, analysis, and dissemination, ABMS exemplifies how CJADC2 can improve decision speed and effectiveness in a contested, multi-domain battle. It remains a key example of CJADC2 in action, enhancing – but not dominating – the joint conversation, alongside parallel efforts like Project Convergence and Project Dynamis.
Quantum Computing for Multi-Domain Decision Superiority
To fulfill the CJADC2 vision (including ABMS), the military must handle massive data, complex networks, and rapid decisions. This is where advanced technologies like quantum computing become transformative. Quantum computing offers a critical speed advantage in decision-making for complex, time-sensitive problems. Quantum computers can evaluate courses of action or solve optimization problems exponentially faster than classical systems – a potential game-changer for battlefield C2. When combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, quantum computing can help sift big data and recommend optimal decisions with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Quantum-enabled AI could provide U.S. forces with decision superiority – making better decisions faster than an adversary.
Key areas where quantum computing can support CJADC2 and ABMS include:
• Real-Time Decision-Making: Quantum algorithms excel at solving complex optimization and assignment problems under tight time constraints. For instance, in a missile defense scenario analogous to ABMS, a quantum system can rapidly optimize weapon-to-target pairings (which interceptor or shooter should engage each threat) even as the problem scales exponentially with more targets. By finding an optimal solution in seconds that might take conventional computers minutes or hours, quantum computing directly boosts the speed of the OODA loop (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act) for commanders. This speed translates into a decisive operational advantage, allowing CJADC2 frameworks like ABMS to recommend responses or reallocate forces faster than an enemy can react.
• Data Fusion and Analysis: CJADC2 involves fusing data from countless distributed sensors (radar, imagery, signals intelligence, etc.) to present a coherent picture of the battlespace. Quantum computing can assist with processing and analyzing these large multi-source data sets far more efficiently. Quantum-enabled algorithms can explore enormous solution spaces for correlating sensor inputs or running battlefield simulations. The result is more accurate sensor fusion, faster target identification, and enhanced situational awareness for CJADC2. By leveraging qubit-based computations, commanders get better insights from big data – enabling more informed decisions in real time.
• Logistics and Supply Chain Optimization: Behind any joint force operation is a vast logistics network coordinating supplies, maintenance, and troop movements. Quantum computing’s optimization power is poised to dramatically improve military logistics and sustainment, which are integral to CJADC2 effectiveness. The U.S. Air Force has already begun exploring quantum software for supply chain management, noting that such multi-variable optimization problems are uniquely suited for quantum computers. A quantum-assisted logistics system can quickly determine optimal inventory levels, repair part distributions, or resupply routes for forward-deployed units, far faster than traditional methods. Better logistics optimization ensures that the right assets are in the right place at the right time, reinforcing the overall resiliency and responsiveness of CJADC2 operations.
• Network and Sensor Resource Management: CJADC2 will rely on complex networks of communications links, data pathways, and sensors across domains. Quantum computing can significantly aid in network optimization and sensor scheduling, ensuring information flows efficiently despite contested or bandwidth-limited environments. For example, Davidson developed a quantum solution for radar resource scheduling, optimizing how a radar array allocates its energy and time to track multiple objects. The quantum approach enabled finding “the most efficient scheduling solutions” for limited radar time slots, a task vital to maintain situational awareness. A quantum-optimized CJADC2 network could dynamically route data through the best path (or frequency) and assign sensor tasks without interference or overload. By continuously solving routing and scheduling puzzles, quantum computing helps maximize network throughput and resilience.
Davidson’s Leadership in Quantum-Enabled Solutions
Davidson is emerging as a leading innovator in applying quantum computing to defense problems, reinforcing the modernization of U.S. command and control. Davidson’s internal Research and Development (IRAD) efforts, often in collaboration with DoD research labs and industry partners, have zeroed in on the optimization challenges inherent in CJADC2. The company has demonstrated tangible quantum solutions for defense: in partnership with D-Wave, Davidson built prototype applications for missile interceptor assignment and radar scheduling – both complex all-domain C2 problems. These quantum-powered applications can evaluate a multitude of variables (e.g. threat priority, weapon availability, sensor timing) and output an optimized plan much faster than conventional methods.
Davidson’s commitment to applied quantum research is also evident in its investments and partnerships. The company is hosting a cutting-edge D-Wave Advantage™ quantum computer at its Huntsville, AL headquarters – the first annealing quantum system in Alabama – to give its engineers and government customers on-site access to quantum hardware. This hands-on access allows Davidson to rapidly prototype and refine quantum algorithms tailored to defense use cases.
Through these efforts, Davidson has established itself as a leader in quantum optimization solutions for defense. The company’s work directly supports the Pentagon’s push for military-technological superiority in domains like AI, networking, and decision support. The balanced integration of ABMS (Air Force) as an example, alongside Army, Navy, and Marine Corps initiatives, underscores that quantum-enhanced C2 is not service-specific but truly joint.
Davidson’s leadership in quantum R&D is reinforcing defense modernization: delivering tools for faster decisions, smarter resource use, and resilient networks that underpin Combined Joint All-Domain C2. With quantum technology maturing (and Davidson at the cutting edge), the vision of CJADC2 – a fully synchronized, data-driven, and agile force – becomes far more attainable. The result will be a U.S. military that can command and control across all domains with unmatched speed and intelligence, maintaining a decisive advantage in the 21st-century battle space.
