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About PMTEC: Established in 2022, the Pacific Multi-Domain Training and Experimentation Capability is a transformative enterprise funded and resourced by the United States Indo-Pacific Command to enhance joint, combined, and coalition warfighting readiness, posture, and lethality in the Indo-Pacific. It has created and is constantly enhancing the largest coalition range system in the world, linking geographically distributed ranges and training areas across the Indo-Pacific theater and beyond. PMTEC is a key component of the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, reinforcing the U.S. commitment to homeland defense and a free and open Indo-Pacific. PMTEC’s integration of advanced training technologies and its alignment with U.S. National Security Strategy make it a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to maintain regional stability and counter adversarial aggression.
A Tactical Assault or Team Awareness Kit — known collectively as TAK — served as the backbone of this shared awareness. TAK is a tactical situational awareness application integrated into a broader command-and-control architecture accessible across participating forces. U.S. Army I Corps brought 140 TAK devices to Thailand, distributing 100 to the Royal Thai Armed Forces to accelerate adoption and experimentation.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Christian Hanna, a Data Systems Administrator with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, helped lay the groundwork for this integration. Earlier this year, he trained RTAF personnel and built a dedicated server for their use. During Cobra Gold 26, he served as a command-and-control integrator, helping Thai forces employ TAK on their server and onboard clients — including commercial devices when needed.
Building capability at the tactical edge A TAK system enables units to share real-time positions, mission graphics, imagery, and text communications. According to Hanna, its true impact emerges when that information is fused into a common operating picture (COP) visible across command levels.
PMTEC’s Joint Interface Control Officer, Kerri Wood, ensured that tactical-edge data flowed seamlessly into the COP.
“Our goal was to make every data point count,” Wood said. “When a platoon leader drops a marker or a vessel updates its position, that information shouldn’t stay at the edge — it should inform commanders across domains. TAK let us turn individual actions into shared understanding.”
During amphibious operations at Hat Yao Beach, TAK devices were placed aboard vessels to track their movement in near real time.
“We gave them a TAK device to keep with them in the ship so we’re able to see exactly where the ship was over time,” Hanna said. “If the ship hits the shore and they’re starting to push toward the objective, everyone knows what’s coming next and can prepare.”
At the Cobra Gold 26 Combined Joint Force Maritime Component Command at Jessada Naval Base, observation points and key unit positions were plotted digitally, allowing commanders to monitor movements and synchronize actions across land, air, and maritime domains.
The 2nd Joint Communications Squadron, Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE) was the lynchpin to TAK’s integration into the command-and-control architecture by leveraging their Move Out - Jump Out Kits to deliver a full Link-16 live picture to the COP. According to U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas C. Goodnoe, Troop Sergeant for the 2nd Joint Communications Squadron, JCSE’s efforts ensured that tactical-edge data from TAK systems and Link-16 networks was seamlessly transmitted to the Tactical Operating Center.
“We were able to track vessel movements in near real time and feed that data directly into the COP,” said Goodnoe. “This ensured that everyone, from the tactical edge to the TOC, had a shared understanding of the operational picture.”
Empowering Thai-led architecture One of the most significant outcomes of Cobra Gold 26 was demonstrating that TAK architecture can be built and sustained at lower echelons using affordable, open-source tools and cell phones.
“It shows that it can be handled at a lower echelon unit,” Hanna said. “We showed them the steps. They have the blueprint now to build their own server, their own clients, teach people how to join, and the procedures required to have a fully functioning TAK architecture.”
Because TAK is modular and customizable, Thai personnel were trained to integrate multiple data feeds, including and automatic identification system, the internationally mandated maritime tracking system that broadcasts vessel identity, position, course, and speed; automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast, a modern aviation surveillance technology that continuously broadcasts an aircraft’s position and identity, and additional sensor inputs through secure services.
This hands-on experience opens the door for Thailand to expand domestic expertise in Linux systems administration, network services, cybersecurity, and software customization — all critical to strengthening its defense industrial base.
Enhancing sovereign capability According to Hanna, one Royal Thai Navy senior officer was particularly interested in TAK’s translation capability, which allows near-real-time communication across Thai and English-speaking elements. But translation was only one advantage.
“The biggest capability was the ability to see where all of his units are,” Hanna said. “He can publish routes, see updates, and get alerts immediately.”
This level of shared awareness enhances operational independence. Thai forces can coordinate among their own joint elements without requiring U.S. personnel to manage the system.
“We don’t have to ever be included,” Hanna said. “They can build their own server. When they have joint missions, they’re able to work together, see each other, and expand it even further.”
Supporting disaster response Beyond military operations, TAK has humanitarian value — particularly relevant in a country frequently affected by natural disasters.
“In America, I’ve seen it used for rescue operations,” Hanna said. “They’ll have drones sending live streams. If they find a missing person under a tree, they can plot the exact 10-digit grid needed to recover that person.” Such capabilities can accelerate disaster response, improve interagency coordination, and strengthen national resilience.
Advancing strategic objectives Integrating TAK data into the COP through PMTEC demonstrated how tactical-edge information can be elevated to inform operational and strategic decision-making. The effort supports key national defense objectives, including faster, data-driven decision cycles; reduced risk through shared visibility; improved interoperability among coalition partners, and enhanced sovereign capability at the tactical level.
Equally important, the exercise provided Thailand with the knowledge and technical foundation to sustain and expand its own digital command-and-control architecture.
As Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 demonstrated, the future of coalition readiness lies not just in shared platforms and personnel, but in the seamless integration of data and a commitment to shared awareness. The successful employment of TAK provided more than a tactical advantage; it offered a blueprint for partner-led digital transformation. By empowering the Royal Thai Armed Forces to build, sustain, and operate their own TAK architecture, this initiative strengthened both coalition interoperability and Thailand's sovereign defense capabilities. This PMTEC case study underscores a core principle: true strategic advantage is achieved when we empower our allies and partners, fostering a network of resilient, self-reliant, and fully interoperable forces prepared to meet any challenge.