Tactical Air Control Party Modernization

Abstract

The TACP-Modernization (TACP-M) program is acquiring new capabilities to give TACPs the ability to detect targets and compute precise target coordinates for employment of GPS-aided weapons, reduce the potential for fratricide, and reduce the potential for collateral damage in civilian-occupied areas. This new equipment shortens the kill chain by reducing the time required to submit air support requests, providing target information to aircraft, and ensuring pilots are tracking the correct target. By reducing the time required to execute Close Air Support (CAS) missions in "troops-in-contact" situations, the TACP-M program helps reduce the number of U.S. and coalition casualties due to enemy action. TACPs deploy with Army maneuver units and provide a Command and Control (C2) link for CAS, airlift and AF surveillance/reconnaissance missions. TACPs are equipped with various targeting and communications equipment needed to interface with ground maneuver forces, aircraft conducting CAS operations, other Joint Fires assets, aerospace C2 aircraft/agencies, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms/agencies. The TACP-M program provides TACP, Air Support Operations Center (ASOC), and Tactical Operations Center (TOC) personnel with the capability to precisely locate and target enemy ground forces by integrating various Laser Targeting Devices (LTD) and ultra high frequency satellite communications (UHF SATCOM) for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) Air Force Air Request Net operations. The purpose of the TACP-M program is to reduce reliance on voice transmission and replace analog equipment with the latest digital, data link and streaming video (e.g. Streaming Video Receiver) technology. Upgraded digital communications enable machine-to-machine interface between TACPs and CAS aircraft, Army units and other TACP units. Machine-to-machine communication provides reliable, high-speed digital communications, ultimately supports joint and multinational interoperability, improves battlefield Situational Awareness (SA), increases targeting accuracy, reduces kill chain decision time, improves data flows/information exchange, and reduces potential fratricide. The TACP-M program supports Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) and significantly increases the mission effectiveness of the TACPs and ASOCs during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. TACP-M program continues to be instrumental in providing ground communications for TACPs during federal emergency relief operations and Homeland Defense initiatives. TACP-M is divided into three segments: Dismounted, Mounted, and Software. The TACP dismounted segment provides modernized, modular, re-locatable and man-portable capabilities via streamlined acquisition using non-developmental, off-the-shelf (OTS) Manpack Radios (MPR) or Handheld Radios (HHR), laser targeting devices (LTDs) (including but not limited to Laser Range Finder (LRFs), Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS) laser designators and imagers), tactical computers, and ancillary equipment combined with Close Air Support System (CASS) software for dismounted, ASOC, and TOC use. The TACP mounted segment upgrades existing TACP communications systems with new Software Communication Architecture (SCA)-certified, Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) or available software programmable radios, legacy radios, and ancillary components, which provide reliable communications for CAS and other air support operations. TACP-M will integrate Internet Protocol (IP)-capable, SCA radios for voice & data UHF SATCOM and LOS UHF /VHF communications. TACP-M funds will continue to develop systems integration software (for dismounted and mounted) for multiple air/ground platforms (e.g. JETS (Target Effects Coordination System [TECS])software development, Small Diameter Bomb II (SDBII), F-35, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected(MRAP)vehicle, Gateway Lite, and ASOC Gateway vehicle and will provide interoperability data links such as Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Link-16 and other transformational communications capabilities. Mounted overseas contingency operations also require new digital communications/network enabled capabilities integrated in armored vehicle platforms, including High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), Stryker, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and other vehicle platforms used in times of conflict. The Air Force has requested accelleration of a vehicle communications capability into TACP Stryker Light Armored Vehicles (LAV), and other tactical vehicles. FY12 efforts include continued development in integrating VCS into additional vehicles, CASS software development for additional interfaces with new weapons, aircraft, C2 nodes, and development of TLDS and TECS through the JETS program office. The TACP-M program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 0207444F_7_3600_PB_2012
• Change Summary Explanation: In FY2012, Project 676013, Equipment Modernization, efforts were transferred from PE 0207423F, Advanced Communications Systems, Project 674934, Tactical Air Control Party, in order to better identify and deliniate efforts for Tactical Air Control Party Modernization. The program funding includes reductions for overhead reduction efficiencies that are not intended to impact program content. The efficiencies reductions total $0.597M in FY12.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Armored Vehicles
• Budgets
• Command And Control
• Contingency Operations (Military)
• Data Links
• Digital Communications
• Engineering
• Light Armored Vehicles
• Network Protocols
• Radio Equipment
• Situational Awareness
• Software Development
• Tactical Air Support
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Geochemistry

Technology Areas

• Directed Energy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space