// UNMANNED SYSTEMS AND NEXT-GEN WARFARE TERM
Custody Layer
The custody layer is the process of continuously tracking a potential threat, like a missile or aircraft, and seamlessly passing responsibility for that tracking between different sensors and command centers without interruption.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Within a layered Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture, the Custody Layer is the functional process of maintaining a continuous, unambiguous track and positive identification of an object, ensuring seamless data handover between sensors, weapon systems, and command and control (C2) nodes to maintain situational awareness and support engagement.
BACKGROUND
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. United States federal law establishes six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, each assigned specific roles and operational domains. With the exception of the Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in peacetime, the services are organized under the Department of Defense (DoD).
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- target custody
- track custody
- continuous tracking
- sensor handover
- track management
- persistent surveillance
USAGE NOTE
This concept is vital in multi-sensor environments to ensure a fast-moving threat is never lost as it passes between different radar coverages or areas of responsibility.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Custody Layer.
Develops data integration and analytics platforms like Gotham, which serve as a core component of the data fabric for military command and control systems. Their technology is designed to create a secure, single source of truth from disparate data sources, a key principle of the custody layer.
Creator of the Lattice OS, an AI-powered software platform that autonomously fuses sensor data from various assets into a single, real-time 3D model of the battlespace. This system provides verifiable data custody and a common operating picture for decision-making.
A prime contractor for the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), RTX is developing open architecture solutions and data management tools to securely connect platforms across different domains. Their work focuses on creating a resilient data fabric that ensures information integrity and delivery.
Specializes in building the resilient communications and networking backbone essential for JADC2. They develop the secure data transport and network management systems that form the foundational pathways for a custody layer, ensuring data can be securely accessed and moved across the joint force.
A key developer of the JADC2 data fabric, focusing on connecting sensors and effectors across all domains. Their systems integration work ensures that data is securely managed, routed, and translated between legacy and modern systems, a core function of a data custody layer.
Develops advanced command and control systems and open mission architecture to enable multi-domain operations. Their work in AI-driven data fusion and secure networking contributes to a robust custody layer by ensuring data from different platforms is trusted, correlated, and available for rapid decision-making.
Provides network modernization and mission technology to the Department of Defense, with a focus on implementing Zero Trust Architectures. This work is foundational to the custody layer, establishing a secure environment where data is continuously verified and protected as it moves across networks.
Builds secure command, control, and communication systems that manage and protect sensitive military data. They develop the tactical networks and data-at-rest/in-transit encryption technologies that are essential for maintaining the chain of custody for critical information on the battlefield.