JBCP Improvements

Team Tank didn't come to build another display system. They came to solve a targeting crisis—when tank commanders calculate friendly positions manually, engagement accuracy suffers and fratricide risk increases.

What's At Stake

In armored operations, commanders must identify enemy targets while avoiding friendly fire. The current Joint Battle Command-Platform (JBCP) system requires extensive training and operates inconsistently, forcing commanders to perform mental calculations to determine friendly positions. This cognitive load degrades target engagement accuracy and slows decision-making when seconds matter.

Field Testing at Fort Moore

Led by Khushi Shah, Team Tank recognized that targeting problems aren't solved in simulation—they're solved where tank crews operate under pressure. Their CMP-funded trip to Fort Moore enabled critical beneficiary discovery through structured interviews with armored unit soldiers and live exercise observation.

The team engaged with CPTs, 1LTs, and SFCs across the operational hierarchy, gathering insights from maneuver leaders to Master Gunner School instructors. These conversations revealed how information about friendly positions flows from individual platforms to command levels, and where the current system creates dangerous gaps.

COTS Sensor Integration

Team Tank developed a solution combining commercial off-the-shelf thermal and visual sensors with simplified display integration. Their approach eliminates the complex JBCP interface requirements while providing commanders exact friendly position data in their existing viewer systems.

Using CMP-funded sensor equipment, the team tested two configurations under varying visibility and distance conditions at Fort Moore. The field data directly influenced their detection model calibration and ruled out lower-performing sensor options, ensuring their solution meets deployment constraints.

Operators of Another Kind

Khushi Shah, leading the effort from Carnegie Mellon, brought systems engineering expertise to combat vehicle integration challenges. Working alongside teammates Cooper Zhu, Tanner Balluff, and Jeffrey Zhang, the team combined technical development with direct operational feedback from armored units.

What Comes Next

Team Tank is continuing development through a capstone research project in summer 2025, with their sponsor providing ongoing operational guidance. Their solution addresses immediate targeting accuracy needs while improving interoperability and situational awareness across armored formations.

They didn't just theorize about friendly fire prevention. They got inside tanks and built solutions for it.