ARRC NEWS
Project Convergence Capstone 5( PCC5) Maj Jessica Wood
Project CONVERGENCE( PC) is a US Army led programme of experimentation and learning. Focused around an annual exercise it aims to deliver a multinational force, able to rapidly and continuously integrate or“ converge” effects across all domains through intelligence gathering, data sharing, and, interoperable systems to decide and act more rapidly against adversaries in competition and conflict.
The scale and scope of Project CONVERGENCE offers participating units an opportunity to conduct valuable experimentation in a combined joint environment. This work is essential to developing our approach to modernisation, increasing lethality, and closing the interoperability gaps.
Project CONVERGENCE Capstone 5( PCC5) was the latest iteration of the experimentation series. The experiment was based around a Combined Joint Task Force in 2030. The exercise was delivered by the Joint Modernisation Command( JMC) on behalf of US Army Futures Command( AFC) and had participation from US, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand and UK.
Planning for the exercise started in July 24 with the planning team taken from across JFIB, G7 and 1 Sigs Bde travelling over to El Paso, Texas for frequent planning events. This helped to build relations early between the US planning team and the other multi-national partners participating in the exercise.
In Feb 25 the ARRC deployed as part of a wider UK PCC5 deployment. Brigadier Rob Alston, Ch JFIB was the experiment director and overall 1 * lead for the wider deployment. The aim of the exercise was to increase lethality by optimising the killchain through the integration of the deployed forces into the joint network. The contribution from the ARRC was centred around the Joint Air Ground Integration Centre( JAGIC). The intent was to explore how digital applications could improve the efficiency within the JAGIC in delivering the DECIDE and EFFECT part of the killchain. Three different Fires applications were tested both individually and in combination with each other to find the most effective combination. The exercise provided the ideal environment for these tests, generating sufficient friction to test the JAGIC but also allowing enough freedom when applications had to be reprogrammed or adjustments made to processes.
The exercise was supported by 1 Sigs Bde and specifically 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron from 22 Signal Regiment. As ever, the Signals personnel deployed well in advance of the main body deployment. As this exercise included connecting new applications onto the network their work-load was increased and they did a fantastic job, ensuring that full network connectivity was achieved prior to the start of the exercise. Real Life Support was provided by the excellent team from the Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion. They managed to make the austerity of the Mojave Desert and extremely basic living conditions more comfortable.
There was a lot of interest in visiting the exercise to understand the lessons learnt from the experimentation. Capt Byron Edens, G7, had volunteered for the role of visits Officer and was kept extremely busy writing visit schedules and hosting the many visitors who wanted to see PCC5. A total of 19 stars visited over the course of the exercise, with Chief of the General Staff( CGS), General Sir Roly Walker, Deputy Chief of the General Staff( DCGS), Lieutenant General David Eastman and Chief of Staff ARRC( COSARRC) Major General Mike Keating being the most notable. The visits provided an opportunity for the team to demonstrate to our senior leaders the learnings from the exercise but it also provided an opportunity for the senior leaders to recognise the hard work of individuals on the exercise. Maj Viv Shah GASB, Capt Byron Edens G7, and LCpl Zac Sillis G2, were all recognised for their efforts and contributions to the Exercise.
At the end of the exercise there was opportunity for individuals to explore the surrounding area with visits to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Big Bear Lake. Unfortunately, a small group had an unplanned stay in Houston after their return flight was delayed due to the fire at Heathrow and they had to wait three days until they could return home.
PCC5 provided the ARRC with an opportunity to experiment in a multi-national exercise to further our interoperability with multi-national partners and make development into data sharing. Crucially, it enabled new digital applications to be tested that will enhance our ways of working and lethality within the JAGIC.
8 SUMMER 2025 the imjin