Aircraft Survivability Newsletter List
Editor:
LTC John N. Lawless, Jr.
Naval Air Systems Command
Code AIR-4.1.8 (JTCG/AS)
1421 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22243-5120
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Attention: Linda Ryan
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SURVIAC Satellite Office
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Attention: Greg McClellan
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In this issue we present a snapshot of how the survivability design discipline is pursuing the simply stated, but difficult to achieve, goal of reducing aircraft susceptibility in the increasingly complex and pervasive world of electronic warfare. JTCG/AS scientists, engineers, and project managers working in this field are but a part of the broader realm of electronic combat, which is made up of all "actions taken in support of military operations against the enemy's electromagnetic capabilities." While electronic combat also includes command, control, and communications countermeasures and suppression of enemy air defenses, arguably the most important to aircraft survivability is electronic warfare.
Congratulations to the staff of the Air Force's Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) Program Office at Wright Laboratory on receiving the 1995 Dr. Courtland D. Perkins In-House Engineering Award. As a result of their efforts, optimum battle damage tolerance is being designed into future aircraft. Several design changes have already been made to the F-22 as a result of the LFT&E team's work, and several design improvements are being considered for the C-17. These changes will result in much more damage-tolerant systems-and the changes are being made early in the process. Estimated savings in aircraft costs alone, by avoiding destructive testing of complete F-22 and C-17 aircraft, approaches half a billion dollars. The LFT&E team is helping assure that we enter our next conflict with tough, combat-ready, yet affordable aircraft.
Best wishes go out to Tim Horton of the Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division at China Lake, California. Tim, who is the Navy Co-Chair of our Vulnerability Reduction Subgroup, is recovering from recent back surgery. While the operation slowed him down a bit, he continued to telecommute from home throughout his recuperation. Welcome back, Tim.
Finally, a fond farewell and sincere best wishes to Diane Lussier of SURVIAC's Satellite Office in McLean, Virginia. Diane has long been the unsung hero responsible for the production and publication of Aircraft Survivability, from theme development and coordination with authors through page layout, printing, and mailing. She has also supported numerous other JTCG/AS projects, most notably our very successful 1995 Air Combat Survivability symposium. Diane is leaving SURVIAC to pursue an advanced degree, followed by a career change to the health care profession. On behalf of the entire JTCG/AS, thank you for your outstanding support, and good luck in all of your future endeavors!
John N. Lawless, Jr.
Air Force Live Fire Test and Evaluation Program Office Honored
Members of the Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) Program, part of the Flight Dynamics Directorate at the Air Force's Wright Laboratory, were recently selected as recipients of the 1995 Dr. Courtland D. Perkins In-House Engineering Award. This prestigious award was established by the Flight Dynamics Directorate in 1990 to honor engineers and scientists who in the past year have made the most significant contributions to in-house aerospace technology.
For more than half a century, Dr. Perkins has been a vital leader in aviation technology, progressing from bench-level engineer to Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Research and Development and Air Force Chief Scientist. Included among his many accomplishments are the preliminary development of a forward swept wing/tailless plane some forty years ahead of its time, and he was actively involved in the creation of the Flight Test School at Wright Field during World War II (which later became the Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB). He also co-authored the textbook, Airplane Performance, Stability, and Control, a book which became the standard text on the subject and is still in print after 41 years. The award named for Dr. Perkins perpetuates the spirit of excellence that he has shown over his more than fifty years of government service.
The LFT&E Program, in the Vehicle Subsystems Division of the Flight Dynamics Directorate, has reached national prominence in applying the Congressionally-mandated Live Fire Test (LFT) requirements to the Air Force's developmental weapons systems. The team is advising virtually all Air Force program offices involved in aircraft development, including the AC-130U, C-130J, B-1, B-2, F-22, and Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The team has even been approached by Japan to discuss the possibility of evaluating the FS-X. Air Force Headquarters, recognizing the team's expertise, assigned Wright Laboratory as the Air Force's Responsible Test Organization (RTO) for aircraft vulnerability.
This year's recipients of the Dr. Courtland D. Perkins In-House Engineering Award include:
A C-17A Globemaster III Dispensing all flares simultaneously (Hollywood) during the IR Band IV CM JT&E Program Phase 2 tests conducted by the Precision Guided Weapons Countermeasures Test and Evaulation Directorate (OTD) at Eglin AFB, Florida during the Summer of 1994.
The photo is the courtesy of Mr. Micheal Schuck, Director, OTD Headquarters, Precision Guided Weapons CM T&E Directorate, Building 1407, White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002-5519. He can be reached at (505) 678-7221.
Electronic Warfare (EW), like most defense-related technologies, has felt the pinch of declining budgets, but significant progress in the modernization of our EW capabilities has still been made, especially in the infrared area. We have encountered some setbacks, such as the retirement of the ASPJ, EF-111, and F-4G "Wild Weasel," and the termination of the EA-6B ADVCAP, F-15 PDF, and B-1B defensive systems. To a certain extent, we have recuperated from these systems losses, and we are continuing the recovery process as our resources allow.
The Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) has borne the brunt of cutbacks with its loss of the EF-111, F-4G, and EA-6B ADVCAP. The loss of these assets or capabilities (for affordability reasons) will certainly constrain the warfighter's flexibility, but the warfighter will not be without a SEAD capability. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) recently investigated the non-lethal SEAD or support jamming area and concluded that the EA-6B, with the activation of additional aircraft, could perform the SEAD mission for both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy. Although there are performance differences between the EF-111 and EA-6B airframes (primarily range and endurance), EA-6B shortcomings can be ameliorated with proper mission planning and some additional support capabilities.
The retirement of the F-4G "Wild Weasel" has affected SEAD most. The lethal SEAD mission now rests solely on the shoulders of the F-16 Harm Targeting System (HTS). Although F-18s and EA-6Bs are HARM capable, the F-16 provides the ability to use the HARM in its most effective mode. The original concept called for teaming the F-15 Precision Direction Finding (PDF) and the F-16 HTS. Because this teaming concept is no longer feasible, the current approach calls for the improvement of the HTS capability. The improvement will come from the Joint Emitter Targeting System (JETS), which facilitates the use of HARM's most effective mode when launched from any JETS capable aircraft.
The Navy, as the lead service for the joint Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasure (IDECM) system, recently awarded an IDECM engineering and manufacturing development contract. The IDECM is the ASPJ replacement for the Navy's F-18E/F aircraft. The IDECM contains an RF subsystem consisting of an onboard techniques generator and a towed transmitter decoy. The techniques generator is actually a jammer receiver and processor. It is planned that this RF subsystem will have potential application on the B-1B as well as other platforms, such as the U-2 and TIER II+. The IDECM towed decoy also has application on the F-15.
The ASPJ, though terminated, has found use as a contingency asset. It is presently installed in F-18s and being used in the Bosnia operations area. Once it successfully completes the operational evaluation, by year end it should be installed in the F-14D using existing assets.
The Army has taken a giant step in modernizing helicopter survivability equipment with the introduction of the Advanced Threat Radar Jammer (ATRJ) and the recent award of the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasure (ATIRCM) system. The ATRJ is a truly integrated system with the jammer's receiver and processor also functioning as a radar warning device. This dual function negates the need for a separate radar warning receiver, which reduces future acquisition and support costs. The ATRJ has the capability to generate the more exotic countermeasure techniques needed to defeat the most sophisticated surface-to-air weapon systems.
One of the most revolutionary developments in electronic warfare is the ATIRCM system. Infrared countermeasures have moved towards laser-based jammers due to inherent tracking and pointing requirements. The ATIRCM functions include detection and cueing, tracking and pointing, and jamming. In operation, the system detects missile launch and decides if the missile is approaching the aircraft. If the missile is approaching, the system tracks the missile with enough accuracy to point a jamming laser at the missile seeker. (Is anyone out there old enough to remember Buck Rodgers?) This system is quite impressive.
The front end of the ATIRCM system is a missile warning system. As the Army's ATIRCM approached an engineering and manufacturing milestone decision, the joint Air Force and Navy advanced missile warning program was proceeding toward a similar juncture. The respective service acquisition executives decided to merge the joint Air Force and Navy Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) for high performance tactical aircraft with the Army's ATIRCM program, thus creating the ATIRCM/CMWS program.
The decision to merge the two programs stemmed from their similar system technical and timing requirements. Now, tactical aircraft and helicopters will have the same missile warning sensors and processor with different algorithms to account for different speed and altitude regimes. For the first time, real-time feedback of jammer effectiveness will be possible because ATIRCM tracks the missile. The Army has also taken integration a step further and plans to integrate its ATRJ and ATIRCM and merge with their onboard expendables dispenser.
From my perspective, it appears that the EW community is getting the most from its resources. Where it makes sense, we are working joint programs, and there is closer coordination between technology and systems. All in all, the budgetary drawdown has forced efficiencies, and we are moving toward the acquisition of systems that will meet our future needs.
Figure 1. Advanced Threat IR Countermeasure (ATRICM)
The Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasure (ATIRCM) will provide complete protection for all Army aircraft against advanced infrared surface-to-air and air-to-air missile weapon systems. The system will consist of an Advanced Threat Missile Detector, Advanced Threat Infrared Jammer (ATIRJ), and an Advanced Expendable Dispenser (AED). These subsystems can be fully integrated with one another, as well as other threat detector systems, ensuring a reliable countermeasure suite. The ATIRCM utilizes passive detectors for missile warning and an active lamp and laser combination for jamming. The AED utilizes a reconfigurable magazine and payload coding the inventory of current and future expendables.
Mr. Anthony Grieco is Deputy Director, Electronic Warfare, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Technology. Mr. Grieco holds a BS from Fresno State College, aan MS from University of Missouri, and a Masters of Engineering from the University of California. He can be reached at (703) 697-3619
The Electronic Warfare Advanced Technology (EWAT) program is the core program within the Navy to transition advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) technology to meet Navy requirements for aircraft survivability. The EWAT program is assigned to the Navy Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft, PMA 272 managed by COL Nolan Schmidt. CDR Dwight Cousins is the EWAT Program Manager and is tasked with the challenge of transitioning promising advanced technology from the Science and Technology project list to the Fleet. The main objective for EWAT is to marry the technology to the requirement and work within the Joint services development to field effective EW systems.
The Navy has recognized the increasing threat to its tactical aircraft from anti-aircraft infrared (IR) guided missiles. The lethality and proliferation of IR surface-to-air missiles (SAMS) was demonstrated during the Desert Storm conflict. Approximately 80% of U.S. fixed-wing aircraft losses in Desert Storm were from ground based Iraqi defensive systems using IR SAMS. Both IR SAMS and IR air-to-air missiles have seekers with improved Counter-Countermeasures (CCM) capabilities that seriously degrade the effectiveness of current expendable decoys. The U.S. Navy has embarked on vigorous IR countermeasures (IRCM) programs to address the vulnerability.
One of the main thrusts of the EWAT program is to field advanced IRCM warning and response systems that will improve aircraft survivability against even the most CCM robust IR missile threats. In the near term, two significant projects will be introduced to the Fleet: 1) Advanced IR expendable countermeasures that improve survivability and can be dispensed from the ALE-39 Dispenser; and 2) use of the BOL Dispenser to dispense IR Special Material. Within the next four to six years, additional new technology aircraft countermeasures components will be developed and demonstrated.
Looking to the year 2005 and beyond, IR imaging missiles will emerge as the next generation infrared anti-aircraft threat to U.S. tactical aircraft. EWAT is currently working on technology to defeat this advanced threat. Projects such as tactical aircraft Directed Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) will be combined with improved expendable IR decoys to corrupt the tracking ability of IR imaging missiles. This year the Navy is defining the technical requirements for tactical aircraft DIRCM and will begin an Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD). DIRCM will employ an advanced acquisition sensor that will cue a countermeasure pointer tracker. Coupled to the pointer tracker will be a laser beam jammer that will direct infrared energy into the incoming missile's seeker. The infrared energy will interfere with the missile's guidance commands, causing the missile to lose track of the target aircraft.
Another focus for the EWAT program involves the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Through the tri-service modeling and simulation programs, the Naval Postgraduate School has acquired the latest digital models that simulate missile engagements and the effectiveness of IR countermeasures. These models will be used to support EWAT projects, advanced IRCM research, academic support, and student theses. EWAT and NPS efforts will be focused toward IRCM techniques and technology required to defeat both the advanced and current missile threats. EWAT will use digital modeling programs and hardware-in-the-loop simulations to determine how new IRCM systems can be used with existing expendable decoys to increase aircraft self-protection.
Another EWAT project is the QF-4N drone test bed aircraft (Figure 2). Many advanced development aircraft countermeasures programs rely on flight testing to demonstrate the effectiveness of EW systems. The EWAT program has sponsored the integration of advanced EW systems onto QF-4N test aircraft. Two aircraft have been configured for either manned or drone flight which enables operational flight testing of EW components in "real world" conditions. The aircraft and the five weapons stations are wired so that various EW systems can be carried internally or in pods. Avionics and 1553 data busses are provided at each weapon station and in the aft cockpit. The following EW systems are installed on the aircraft: AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System for expendable countermeasures; AN/AAR-47, AN/AAR-54(v) and AN/ALQ-156A missile warning systems (MWS); AN/ALR-67 Radar Warning Receiver; AN/ALE-50 Advanced Airborne Expendable Decoy pod; and the AN/ALQ-164 RF jammer pod. An equipment rack in place of the aft seat provides additional mounting for test and instrumentation equipment.
Figure 2. QF-4 Air EW Test Bed configured for EWAT Live Fire Tests
The Navy is participating with the other services in the development of advanced aircraft defensive systems. The Joint approach to development programs is to promote commonality for each component where common requirements and common systems can be integrated into each service's aircraft. The EWAT program has had a successful history of transitioning advanced IRCM technology to tri-service development programs. EWAT pioneered the Kinematic Decoy Flare technology. This technology was transitioned to the Air Force Advanced Strategic and Tactical Infrared Expendable Countermeasure program. Also, a spectrally matched flare composition was developed by the Navy's Science & Technology program in the late 1980's. This technology was transitioned to flight test hardware and EWAT flight tested the decoys to determine their performance and effectiveness. Later, the spectrally matched composition was adopted by the Army for an Advanced Development Program.
EWAT is a non-acquisition program, which means it does not maintain projects through a six or seven year development cycle. Technologies are carefully screened, and only those which address identified fleet needs and are sufficiently mature to complete a demonstration/validation (DEM/VAL) phase within two years are pursued by EWAT. Based on the outcome of this DEM/VAL, a recommendation is made to OPNAV and NAVAIR whether or not to continue to Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) or a Product Improvement Program (PIP) with this technology. If the answer is yes, EWAT transitions the program to the appropriate PMA office prior to EMD or PIP. By conducting these DEM/VALs, and by leveraging off other programs and monitoring technology developments in the other services, EWAT is able to identify economical, practical means to enhance the survivability of fleet aircraft.
Dr. Hurt is the Chief Scientist for the EW Advanced Technology Program for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division located at China Lake, California. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Materials Science, both from the University of Southern California. He has a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Southern California's Center for Laser Studies. He can be reached at (619) 939-1662.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has a long standing objective to establish a cost-effective methodology for quantifying the effectiveness of electronic warfare (EW) equipment in support of modern warfare. EW technology, which began with the introduction of electronic communications and radar as battlefield support systems, has evolved to a current day maturity of mission essential equipment. The ever-increasing level of weapon system sophistication and the need to prioritize defense acquisition expenditures make it essential that the relative effectiveness of weapon systems be established.
To that end, Government and industry test and evaluation (T&E) organizations have as a fundamental objective the cost effective evaluation of system effectiveness. Computer digital simulations of EW system elements offer the framework for evaluation of the operational utility of these capabilities. Digital simulation combined with test and range results provides a performance assessment that is nearly as accurate as a wartime assessment. Computer modeling and simulation (M&S) techniques, though a key element of the EW development, test and evaluation (DT&E) process, have been subject to credibility issues. Inarguably, a "credible" digital simulation of a complex battle scenario and/or weapon system is invaluable to the DT&E process. However, the validity of the model in relation to the real world it attempts to simulate has been in question.
Numerous efforts, such as the Susceptibility Modeling and Range Test (SMART) project, have attempted to establish the value of these M&S capabilities. Validation can be achieved only when a particular model's prediction is accurately compared with an actual operational result and the comparison shows a high degree of fidelity. Several initiatives are underway to identify and establish such credible simulation results. For example, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Deputy Director for Research and Evaluation (OSD/DDRE) (TWP-EC) requested that the Association of Old Crows (AOC) coordinate and chair an effort to identify the optimum existing model representations of EW technologies. OSD's objective was to establish a process whereby models for particular equipment assessments could be identified in each of the primary EW technologies, based on the specific capabilities within the simulations. Models, or subsets of models, that were considered adequate for equipment assessments would then be granted a level of accreditation. The accredited models would be included in the "EW Common Model Set." This process was considered a near-term means for accrediting the adequacy of selected models.
Following accreditation, a model will provide an additional tool to the acquisition, development, and test community to cost effectively quantify the military value of particular EW systems.
The AOC surveyed the EW community to identify candidate simulation models and expert individuals within the community who were interested in supporting the evaluation. The survey identified more than 300 models. Before models were assessed, groups of technical experts (systems, hardware, software, modelers, testers, designers, and analysts) representing both industry and government worked together to identify within each EW technology the specific set of evaluation criteria pertinent to the technology. The model and technology experts were organized into working groups, with individual model and/or technology responsibility.
An initial set of five models was selected from the 300 on the basis that they were widely used, well-documented, and had a government organization sponsorship. The selected models were Advanced Air-to-Air System Performance Evaluation Model (AASPEM), Advanced Low Altitude Radar Model (ALARM), Enhanced Surface-to-Air Missile Simulation (ESAMS), Radar-Directed Gun System Simulation (RADGUNS), and SUPPRESSOR. These models, with the exception of SUPPRESSOR, are distributed by SURVIAC. ALARM, ESAMS, and RADGUNS have undergone extensive verification and validation by the SMART project. Each model was then evaluated against the following EW technologies and functional elements:
The evaluation criteria were applied to each model. The working group then assessed each model's ability to satisfy the technology requirements using a standardized scoring technique. The results of the assessment are documented in the "Electronic Combat Common Model Set," Phase 1, April 1993.
Mr. Denny Detamore is an associate in the Weapon Systems Division at Booz Allen & Hamilton's Dayton office. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State and an MBA from Wright State. He can be reached at (513) 429-9509.
The Wright Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is developing effective and affordable technologies to protect large aircraft against the infrared missile threat. These aircraft have an enhanced vulnerability because of their multi-engine/higher infrared (IR) signatures, flight profiles, and variety of missions. The Wright Laboratory large aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) effort encompasses a number of 6.2 and 6.3 efforts that directly support the Laser IRCM Flyout Experiment (LIFE). The LIFE program is designed to mature and demonstrate critical IRCM technologies for a 6.4 transition to Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, and U.S. Special Operations Command in the 1999-2000 time period.
The LIFE effort will bring together, in a brassboard testbed, the critical subsystems of missile warning, pointing and tracking, active countermeasures, and countermeasure effectiveness assessments. Subsystem performance requirements development, based on the targeted platforms, is a key feature of the program. The performance of each subsystem component and the overall system will be demonstrated in captive carry and live fire field tests in 1998 and 1999 at White Sands Missile Range North Oscura Peak and Cable Car Facility. The major countermeasure aspect of LIFE is to demonstrate the relative effectiveness of closed and open loop jamming on a wide variety of surface-to-air and air-to-air IR missiles. Planning is under way to fit the pointer/tracker heads from the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasure (ATIRCM) and UK/SOCOM DIRCM programs with the closed loop technology and integrate them in the testbed for the proof-of-concept field demonstrations. Additionally, the LIFE program will investigate advanced missile warning technology in the live fire environment. Wright Laboratory is working closely with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) TACAIR DIRCM program, a critical component of the Defense Technology Objective (DTO), which will demonstrate a particular advanced MWS approach. LIFE is investigating options to demonstrate alternative IR sensor technology with the advanced processing algorithms developed by NRL and Wright Laboratory.
The EO/IR trackers have been developed to give AAA, SAMs (RF & EO), and MANPADS day and night engagement capability. Wright Laboratory has initiated a 1996 new start as another critical objective of "Combat Aircraft IRCM," to understand the nature of the EO/IR tracker threat and develop CM technologies for aircraft self-protection. One envisioned solution is an IR version of the Wright Laboratory Coronet Prince program of the late 1980s. Coronet Prince successfully demonstrated the ability to locate and counter visible EO trackers from an F-16 in operational scenarios. The goal is to develop this technology for the infrared trackers and implement it in a multifunction, integrated fashion with the IR missile countermeasure system.
Mr. Dave Hime is the Chief of the Electronic Warfare Branch, Mission Applications Division, Avionics Directorate of Wright Laboratory. He is also Chairman, Joint Directors of Laboratories, Technology Panel for Electronic Warfare. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and can be reached at (513) 255-6648
Major Ken Fielding is the Technical Director of the Electroptics Technology Division. He has a BS in Physics from the University of Central Arkansas, a BSEE from the University of New Mexico,and an MSEE in Electroptics and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He can be reached at (513) 255-4039.
In 1994 the Joint Directors of Laboratories/Technology Panel for Electronic Warfare (JDL/TPEW) published the Tri-Service Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) Techbase Master Plan. Under the sponsorship of OSD DDR&E, the services compiled a comprehensive plan with all the services' 6.2 through 6.3 IRCM programs, including the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) IRCM laser program. The plan took more than 2 years to complete and was the work of the EO/IR Countermeasures Committee members and the TPEW principals. What was needed was an integrated, single program that addressed the needs of all three services to protect helicopters, high performance tactical aircraft, and large transport vehicles. The main technology areas addressed were missile warning, expendables, multi-line laser sources, pointer trackers, band four fiber optic cable, and jamming waveforms. The plan was separated into near-, mid-, and long-term programs because of an urgent need to get countermeasures against some of the IR missile threats fielded and the need to focus the service technology teams. Each of the services was given specific areas of research, many of which were critical to the other services' technology demonstrators and advanced technology demonstrations (ATD). In addition to the threat to aircraft, the plan also addresses the IR anti-shipping missile threat and the IR top attack munition/antitank guided missile threat to ground vehicles.
Because there was a level of reliance established between the services, it became critical that the enabling technology programs be protected because their output affected multiple services' demonstration programs. As such, the IRCM plan is periodically reviewed by the JDL/TPEW, updated, and briefed to OSD DDR&E for approval. Finally, the techbase plan is integrated with the OSD Tri-Service IRCM System Plan used by the service PMs and SPOs.
In the last 10 years, the IR missile has destroyed more aircraft than any other air defense weapon. Because our military are having to perform "operations other than war" missions, the IR missile will most likely continue to be the "threat of choice" for the small cell enemy we will face. Time, funding, and the increasing complexity of the threat posed by missiles are factors that eliminate any slack in the schedule. We must do it right the first time with well coordinated programs from the early stages of research through fielding. Our main concern must be the soldier.
Mr. Ray Irwin is the Assistant to the Division Director for Survivability/Radar. Mr. Irwin has worked in electronic warfare for over 25 years. He was the acting Chief of the Advanced Concepts Division for 3 years, the Branch Chief of the RF countermeasures Branch for 6 years and the project leader for the AN/ALQ-136(V)1, (V)2, and the AN/ALQ-162. Mr. Irwin has a Masters in Electrical Engineering and teaches radar and electronic warfare courses at Monmouth University. He can be reached at (908) 427-4589.
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, formerly the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) Program, is the Department of Defense's focal point for defining affordable next generation strike aircraft weapon systems for the Navy, Air Force, Marines and our allies. The focus of the program is affordability - reducing the development cost, production cost, and cost of ownership of the JSF family of aircraft. The program is accomplishing this by facilitating the Services' development of fully validated, affordable operational requirements, and lowering risk by investing in and demonstrating key leveraging technologies and operational concepts prior to the start of Engineering and Manufacturing Development (E&MD) of the JSF.
The JSF will fulfill Service needs as follows:
Background
The Secretary of Defense's Bottom-up Review (BUR) in FY 1994 acknowledged the Services' need to replace their aging strike assets in order to maintain the nation's combat technological edge, and consequently established the JAST Program. The program is jointly manned and funded. Subsequent FY 1995 legislation merged the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) ASTOVL program with the JAST Program, and ARPA now also provides personnel and funding for JAST Program execution. The United Kingdom Royal Navy is committing $200 million to the JAST Program, extending a collaboration begun under the ARPA ASTOVL Program. Foreign participation is expected to increase.
Program Process
The JAST Program office is facilitating the Services' requirements definition efforts. Integrated Product Teams of warfighters and technologists use the disciplined strategy-to-task process supported by an extensive underpinning of Modeling, Simulation and Analysis to help the Services develop a set of requirements with maximum focus on jointness consistent with technology's ability to support them affordably. Industry is a full participant on these teams. This emphasis on early interaction of the warfighter and the developer ensures cost versus performance trades are made early when they can most influence weapons system cost.
The first formal product of the requirements definition process was the Joint Initial Requirements Document (JIRD), signed by all of the participating Services and briefed to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) in summer 1995. The JROC endorsed the JAST process and "family of aircraft" strategy and emphasized "the great potential towards achieving an affordable solution to meet our joint warfighting capability." Completion of a Joint Operational Requirements Document (JORD) is anticipated in 1998.
Numerous Technology Maturation demonstrations in leveraging areas are being pursued to reduce risk prior to entering E&MD and lower the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) of the JSF. The demonstration results are made available to all program industry participants. Achievement of affordability objectives for the prime contractors' preferred weapon system concepts depends on the availability of these technologies for platform incorporation in E&MD and production. Examples of successful demonstrations conducted to date include carrier suitability of tailless configurations; improved capabilities in an advanced penetration weapon; virtual manufacturing as a means of reducing manufacturing cycle time and cost, validated by a F-15 real-world application; and avionics demonstrations of shared apertures, Virtual Avionics Prototypes, and software common applications. Other, ongoing, demonstrations that will quantify weight and cost savings include integrated aircraft subsystems; low-cost multi-function array; and innovations in structures materials, design and manufacturing process.
Program Status
The program is nearing completion of its Concept Development Phase. This phase focused on (1) developing designs that take advantage of the "family of aircraft" concept and (2) defining the necessary leveraging technology demonstrations that will lower risk prior to entering E&MD of the JSF. The "family of aircraft" concept allows a high level of commonality while satisfying unique service needs. Concept Development Phase efforts have ratified the conclusion of the program's competing weapon system contractors that a family of aircraft can meet tri-service needs, with overall significant LCC savings. This approach brings with it the cost benefits of a common Depot, commonly supported logistics trail, and increased joint service interoperability.
Program Plans
The Concept Demonstration Phase commences in early FY 1997 following the competitive downselect from three potential weapon system concept teams to two. Each winning contractor team defines those demonstrations it believes are crucial for its concept vis-a-vis providing concept assessment and insuring a low risk technology transition to E&MD. This phase will feature flying concept demonstrators, concept unique ground and flight demonstrations, and continued refinement of the contractor's preferred weapon system concepts. Specifically, the two winning contractor teams will demonstrate commonality and modularity, STOVL hover and transition, and low speed handling qualities of their concepts. Pratt and Whitney will receive a contract to provide hardware and engineering support for the Weapon System Concept Demonstration efforts. A contract will also be awarded to General Electric for technical efforts related to development of an alternate engine source for production. Risk mitigating Technology Maturation demonstrations will continue as well.
The Concept Demonstration Phase acquisition strategy has several advantages:
Summary
In conclusion, the Services remain strongly committed to this joint program to develop an affordable solution to their future strike warfare needs - the Joint Strike Fighter. The government and industry team is converging on a design concept for a family of strike aircraft weapon systems which, coupled with the other technology "building blocks," will yield continued technological superiority for our warfighters but much more affordably. In order to meet the fiscal and threat demands of the next century, the Department of Defense clearly recognizes we must "neck-down" our tactical air forces with a focus on jointness and commonality. The Joint Strike Fighter will make that goal achievable.
Figure 3. X-31
The X-31 Program flew two subsonic quasi-tailless flight experiments on 1 September 1994 in support of the JAST Program. The two flights were in the power approach configuration at 20,000 feet altitude at air speeds of 170 and 220 knots. The objective of the JAST quasi-tailless X-31 effort is to provide research data on thrust vector control power useage applicable to critical joint strike mission segments such as air-to-ground weapons delivery and carrier approach.
The Survivability Integration Laboratory (SIL) at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, is sponsored and operated by the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD). The SIL was created as a cost-effective solution to the growing need to evaluate the electronic warfare (EW) systems of air and ground vehicles. The laboratory is an integrated assembly of simulation, stimulation, and recording devices that allow for the analysis of electronic warfare systems in a multi-spectral environment. The lab enables the integration of live EW hardware into virtual platform simulations and utilizes distributed interactive simulation (DIS) to interact with other SILs and platform simulators (actual and virtual) to establish optimum survivability suites. The SIL's ability to leverage DoD resources around the country combined with its internal evaluation capabilities provides the EW community a valuable tool with which to propel itself into the 21st century.
The laboratory is composed of seven main internal components used to assist in evaluating EW systems. These components are: the Mutli-Spectral Environment Chamber, the Aircraft Survivability Equipment/Integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment, the Multi-Spectral Environment Generator, the Aircraft Cockpit Flight Simulator, the Interactive Survivability Simulation, the Ground Vehicle Survivability System, and the Prototype Development Facility. The SIL is also connected to the Aviation Test Bed (AVTB) at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, via the Defense Simulation Internet (DSI). This setup allows SIL users to simulate near real-time engagements with AVTB personnel. Component descriptions and capabilities follow:
Multi-Spectral Environment Chamber (MSEC)
The MSEC allows users to subject warfare systems to a free space, controlled, multi-spectral environment. Presently, the MSEC can simulate multiple RF (50 MHz-18 GHz) and laser (Bands I and III) threats. The MSEC also supports MMW (18-40 GHz) threat simulation and test capabilities and provides a minimum of 30 dB isolation from free space multipath effects. The MSEC supports the ASE/IASE, the ISS, and the GVSS and is being upgraded to include millimeter wave RF, UV, and IR threat simulations.
Aircraft Survivability Equipment/Integrated Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE/IASE)
The ASE is controlled by the Avionics Control System (ACS) with commands entered via a multifunction display (MFD). Actual ASE includes the AN/APR-39A(V)1 radar warning receiver, the AN/ALQ-136(V)2 radar jammer (pulse), AN/ALQ-162(V) radar jammer (CW), the AN/APR-44(V)3 radar warning receiver (CW), the AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver, SIRFC suite of integrated radio frequency countermeasures, and the RD&J radar deception ATD. Simulated ASE includes: the M-130 chaff/flare dispenser, the AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammer, and the AN/ALQ-156 missile warning receiver.
Multi-Spectral Environment Generator (MSEG)
The MSEG consists of the combat electromagnetic environment simulator (CEESIM), the electronic warfare simulator (EWSIM), and the laser threat generator (LTG). The CEESIM radar simulator can generate up to 64 time multiplexed RF pulsed outputs between 50 MHz and 18 GHz. It simulates the flight of an aircraft through a hostile scenario using stored data for flight path, threat types and locations, and terrain data. The user can incorporate realistic emitter environments and laydowns, such as those provided by the Multi-Spectral Force Deployment database, and incorporate terrain masking and multipath effects. Dynamic amplitude is achieved based on range, orientation, ASE receive antenna pattern, threat transmit antenna pattern, and line of sight. The EWSIM can generate up to three simultaneous RF threat signals, pulsed or CW. Threats can be simulated by varying frequency, PRI, PW, ERP, and simulating antenna patterns, scan patterns, etc. The threat signals can be selected from a library that contains long- range acquisition radars, tracking radars, and missile guidance radars within the 2-18 GHz microwave range and the 20-40 GHz millimeter range. The LTG controls eight laser sources that cover bands I and III and can be configured to simulate laser rangefinders, laser designators, and laser beamriders.
Aircraft Cockpit Flight Simulator (ACFS)
The ACFS is a helicopter simulator that consists of an OH-58 cockpit, MFD, keyboard unit (KU), joystick and screen. The MFD and KU provide the pilot with output from the ASE equipment and indicates what threats (type and bearing) are illuminating the craft. The simulator provides threat scenarios from which the pilot can take evasive action and observe the outcome of his or her actions.
Interactive Survivability Simulation (ISS)
The ISS consists of the MSEC, MSEG, ASE/IASE, and the ACFS and provides interactive simulation between the NVESD SIL at Monmouth and the AVTB at Rucker. As a helicopter simulates at the AVTB, the craft's position PDUs are sent via DSI to Monmouth's SIL which in turn generates laser and RF signals with the MSEG into the ASE. The response PDUs from the ASE are sent back to the AVTB, giving the output to the pilots. This simulation allows new EW systems to be moved to various places on the helicopter to determine optimum placement in a very short time frame.
Ground Vehicle Survivability System (GVSS)
The SIL provides an integrated suite of sensors and countermeasures to Tank-Automotive Research Development Center (TARDEC) in support of the Hit Avoidance ATD. The ASE Avionics Control System (ACS) will be used to integrate discrete sensors and countermeasures on a common bus structure and provide an interface for an external bus such as the one in development for the Hit Avoidance ATD. Additionally, the GVSS incorporates the Top Attack Simulator and the Delay Line Test Set, the latter of which simulates the performance of stationary and moving targets (ground and air).
Prototype Development Facility (PDF)
A prototype printed circuit board design and manufacturing facility is on site, together with an electronics model shop for assembly of special purpose cabling and interfaces. These facilities enable the rapid design and configuration of additional elements as needed to meet unique test requirements.
Future improvements to the SIL will include the incorporation of next-generation EW systems such as the Advanced Threat Radar Jammer (ATRJ), Radar Deception & Jamming (RD&J), and the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures System (ATIRCM). Furthermore, a high-fidelity, multi-spectral countermeasures effect model for air and ground vehicles will be added as well as the ability to support multiple platform demonstrations. These improvements coupled with the integration of other facilities (Ft. Knox and Ft. Benning) will provide the EW community the mechanisms it requires to meet future challenges. (For further information regarding the SIL, contact Mr. Joe Aletta at (908) 427-2348.)
The Combat Survivability Division, American Defense Preparedness Association in cooperation with the Joint Technical Coordinating Group on Aircraft Survivability and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is sponsoring a symposium entitled The Impact of Low Observable Technology on Aircraft Survivability. This symposium will be held October 8-10, 1996, at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. The symposium will provide a forum for exchanging information and advancing ideas that will enhance aircraft combat survivability, principally through the application of low observable (LO) technology. This symposium follows a similar one held in 1990-Air Vehicle Survivability in a World of Low Observables. Since that time, several events have taken place:
The symposium, which is classified SECRET (open only to U.S. citizens with valid clearances), will enhance attendees' understanding of LO concepts, technologies, and programs as they affect the survivability and overall mission effectiveness of current and future combat aircraft. It will also focus on how the future of low observables is perceived by each of the military services, from policy, acquisition, and operator perspectives. Furthermore, it will include discussion of developing and applying technology to reduce the multispectral signatures of current and future aircraft, as well as discuss analysis and testing to quantify the benefits from this rapidly expanding field.
The first half day of the symposium will be dedicated to an overall introduction on the impact of LO on aircraft survivability followed by five sessions over the next 2 and 1/2 days focused around the following themes:
The deadline for abstracts and author information was April 30, 1996. For more information, contact COL (Ret) Fred Raines, ADPA, at (703) 522-1820 or fax (703) 522-1885.
Some members of the JTCG/AS Central Office staff recently received new e-mail addresses. Please update your records as shown:
EVENT: EW Data Bases Technical Short Course
DATE: 26 June 96
LOCATION: McLean, VA
POC: AOC, (703) 549-1600
EVENT: Aircraft Fire Protection/Mishap Investigation Course
DATE: 5-9 Aug 96
LOCATION: Dayton, OH
POC: Robert Clodfelter, (513) 435-8778
EVENT: Advance Planning Briefing for Industry
DATE: 6-7 Aug 96
LOCATION:Long Branch, NJ
POC: CECOM, (908) 532-1312
EVENT: Gov't/Industry Exchange on the Future of EW Acquisition Conference
DATE: 10-11 Sept 96
LOCATION: Washington, DC
POC: AOC, (703) 549-1600
EVENT: The Impact of Low Observable Technology on Aircraft Survivability
DATE: 8-10 Oct 96
LOCATION: Monterey, CA
POC: Fred Raines, ADPA, (703) 522-1820
EVENT: Seventh Annual EW Technical Symposium
DATE: 14-18 Oct 96
LOCATION: Eglin AFB, FL
POC: Gene Simmons, (904) 678-2001
EVENT: Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Electronic Warfare Conference
DATE: 20-21 Nov 96
LOCATION: Moffett Field, CA
POC: AOC, (703) 549-1600
EVENT: Intelligence Support to EW Conference
DATE: 16-17 Dec 96
LOCATION: Washington, DC
POC: AOC, (703) 549-1600
