Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)

Abstract

Mission: AWACS is the premier airborne platform providing command and control (C2)/battle management (BM) for Commander In Chief and combatant commander tasking in joint, allied, and coalition operations, humanitarian relief, and homeland defense. AWACS provides a real-time picture of friendly, neutral, and hostile air activity. Its capabilities include all-altitude/all-weather surveillance of the battle space; early warning of enemy actions; a real-time ability to find, fix, track, and assess airborne or maritime threats; and detection, location, and identification of electronic emitters. This program element funds four areas in support of the AWACS program: 1. AWACS Modernization, 2. AWACS Infrastructure and Support Systems, 3. Material Solutions Development and Analysis, and 4. Program Management and Administration (PMA). The first three areas include studies and analysis to support both current planning and execution, as well as future program planning. 1. AWACS Modernization (RDT&E, AF): a. Block 40/45 is replacing AWACS 1970's vintage mission systems that are experiencing Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) issues, are difficult and expensive to upgrade, and limit overall AWACS system performance. The Block 40/45 upgrade will improve integration, quality and timeliness of sensor data to the shooter, improve Combat Identification (CID), improve AWACS contribution to Time Critical Targeting via Data Link Infrastructure (DLI), improve electronic support measures processing and enable more effective, faster upgrades via an open-system, Ethernet-based architecture. The upgrade will also update the ground support infrastructure including training systems. b. The Next Generation Identification Friend or Foe (NGIFF) Program provides AWACS with enhanced IFF interrogator operation to add a more secure Mode 5 capability. NSA declared IFF Mode 4 unsecure and obsolete on 5 Nov 2003. Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memo 047-07 requires IFF Mode 5 interrogation capability by FY14. The new Mode 5 interrogation capability extends the effective range of the AWACS interrogator, while helping discriminate against closely spaced cooperative targets. NGIFF developed and integrated a basic Mode 5 capability on Block 30/35 starting in FY09 and began developing a full Mode 5 capability on Block 40/45 in FY11. Hardware will be common between the Block 30/35 and Block 40/45 platforms. NGIFF will also integrate Mode S, a civilian air traffic control capability residing in the NGIFF hardware, as funding allows. c. DMS Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation (DRAGON) completes the FAA/International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)/ EUROCONTROL air traffic control mandated safety of flight capabilities. This program will provide the E-3 fleet with the flight instruments and other avionics for the Required Navigation Performance (RNP), and the surveillance and communication capabilities necessary to maintain continued critical unrestricted access to global airspace. Non-compliance will result in airspace restrictions and denials that will impact AWACS ability to support worldwide responses to situations requiring immediate on-scene C2 BM. The DRAGON modifications replace the existing DMS Global Positioning System (GPS) Integrated Navigation System (GINS) with a modern Flight Management System (FMS) that will accommodate new capabilities including Mode 5 IFF and Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS). Also included as part of the modification is the addition of data link communications, voice and data link digital radios, and improved visual displays. Emphasis on employment of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) avionics is expected to lower cost, reduce the tech refresh cycle, and enhance life cycle management. Replacement of critical avionics subsystems that became unsustainable beginning in 2010 is included in the DRAGON program. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of DRAGON is being executed as a Cooperative Program between the US and NATO. d. The Flight Performance Software (FPS) program automates calculations currently performed manually by the pilot and flight engineer in accordance with the E-3B and C flight manual. Phase I, automates the Takeoff and Landing Data (TOLD) calculations; Phase II automates the high speed calculation. Automated calculations, using the original source data used to create the flight manual charts increases safety, improves on time departure/arrival, improves crew efficiency, and reduces tanker support. e. Electronic Protection (EP): The EP program funds acquisition and retrofit of the E-3 AWACS radar processing capability. EP will provide improved radar processing in a specific flight environment to meet a classified requirement. Processing will initially address radar modes comprising 90% of actual operational AWACS radar usage. EP will install an adjunct processor that works in parallel with the current Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) system. The EP-processed radar picture will appear on the operator screen in place of the current RSIP output when the EP radar modes are selected. The EP program plans for multi-year advanced buys of COTS equipment due to the short life-cycles in high tech components starting in FY17. The program will buy FY17 and FY18 COTS equipment in FY17 including initial spares. Equipment non-recurring Group B includes efforts for Tech Refresh, Active DMS and Software Releases. 2. AWACS Infrastructure and Support Systems (RDT&E, AF): These efforts synchronize modernization requirements and infrastructure support across the entire weapon system from depot and field test equipment, to maintenance trainers and integration labs. a. Training, Support, and Infrastructure (TSI) provides continuing system engineering and management support for AWACS modernization and enhancement. These activities include managing the AWACS developmental infrastructure, AWACS Development Integration Test Support (ADITS), support for equipment concurrency, modernization planning/analysis, trainer/simulator integration and concurrency, as well as the Avionics Integration Laboratory (AIL). The contractor maintained and operated E-3 Radar Systems Integration Lab/Software Development Facility (SIL/SDF) provides US, FMS, and international customers with a functioning E-3 radar configuration to support radar development, production, and sustainment programs. TSI efforts allow new support equipment technologies and test strategies to be analyzed to ensure concurrent capability to sustain existing, modified, and upgraded E-3 equipment. TSI supports trainer/simulator concurrency analysis and requirements definition to ensure trainers and simulators are kept current with the AWACS baseline. The overall DT&E test infrastructure supports both development and sustainment projects, and maintains facilities to support AWACS aircraft during system and sub-system testing at Boeing Field, WA. The TSI assets also support multiple international Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) projects on a maintenance fee basis, including projects for France, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Japan, and NATO AEW&C efforts. 3. Material Solutions Development & Analysis (RDT&E, AF): These efforts look toward the future by investigating enhanced capabilities and exploring new mission areas through C2ISR System Development, while advancing the capabilities of the current weapon system through the Support The War Fighter (STWF) effort. a. C2ISR system improvements investigate and develop future capabilities of the AWACS weapon system, or next C2ISR platform. These efforts also include investigation, analysis and development to ensure that AWACS successfully integrates with joint and coalition forces in a net-centric environment. C2ISR primarily supports pre-systems acquisition in the areas of material solution analysis and technology development. This is accomplished by prototyping and demonstrating capabilities required by the warfighter but also includes developing an E-3 Modernization & Sustainment Roadmap that projects user capability needs, as well as material solutions for the user needs. b. Internet Protocol Enabled Communication (IPEC): IPEC will provide the Block 40/45 E-3 with a wideband communications capability to connect to the Global Information Grid and will support net-centric operations/warfare. The E-3 lacks an IP-enabled communication capability. As a result, the E-3 is not able to support a shortened digitized kill-chain of time sensitive targets. IPEC will provide a roll-on/roll-off IP-enabled communications package supporting warfighter identified requirements for higher bandwidth SIPRNet and multi-domain networks. 4. Program Management and Administration (PMA)(RDT&E, AF): This effort is PMA support for all AWACS Modernizations, AWACS Infrastructure and Support Systems, and Material Solutions Development and Analysis. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational Systems Development, because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

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Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
Source ID: 0207417F_7_3600_PB_2014
Change Summary Explanation: 1. The increase from FY2013 to FY2014 is primarily due to the use of NATO and US funding on the DRAGON cooperative EMD program. Under the terms of the co-operative agreement, the US-NATO cost share for the program remains the same but NATO is paying for the majority of 2013 common requirements and the US is paying for the majority of FY14 common requirements. 2. The increase between the Previous President's Budget and the Current President's Budget in FY14 is due to re-phasing of funds in prior years to better align for the current execution plan ($20M) and a decrease in material solution development and analysis efforts (-$14.123M).
Service Agency Name: Air Force

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Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)

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