Tactical Air Control Party-Mod

Abstract

Tactical Air Control Partys (TACP) are Air Force units manned by airmen who advise Army Ground Commanders and plan, request and control air power in support of army ground maneuver operations. TACPs also coordinate, request, and control airlift support and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support for Army combat operations, and they provide ground communications support for federal disaster response and Homeland Defense operations. TACPs deploy with their aligned Army units and operate in a variety of environments including fixed operations from Tactical Operations Centers (TOC), mobile operations in tactical vehicles, and dismounted (on foot) operations with Army infantry patrols. The purpose of the TACP-Modernization program is to upgrade TACP voice, data and video communications capabilities, upgrade targeting capabilities, and improve TACP battlefield awareness capabilities. These capabilities are employed at all echelons of Army organizations by: Air Support Operation Centers (ASOC), Division TACPs, Brigade TACPs, Battalion TACPs, and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) deployed with Army companies or scout teams on the front lines. Improved targeting and data communications capabilities provide more accurate target coordinates, reduce Close Air Support (CAS) response times, and reduce the probability of fratricide or collateral damage through the use of networked data communications. The TACP-M program provides and modernizes capabilities in three major categories/areas:(1) ASCOC/TOC Systems (used in fixed ASOCs and Army TOCs), (2) Dismounted and Mobile Systems (used by JTACs during infantry operations and vehicle-mounted mobile operations), and (3) Close Air Support System (CASS) software. CASS v1.4.5 software comes in two versions: A) Dismounted version for dismounted mission operations and a B) ASOC, TOC, and Mounted (ATM) version for ASOC, TOC, and Mobile systems. CASS software segment interfaces with all TACP-M components and provides interoperability with joint strike aircraft (F-35, A-10, F-16, F-15, F/A-18, AV-8B, B-52, etc.), remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), artillery fire support systems, network-enabled weapons, and C2 nodes. To enable data communications with those systems / nodes, CASS incorporates several communications protocols including Variable Message Format (VMF), Link 16, Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), Marine Tactical System (MTS), and U.S. Message Text Format (USMTF). CASS software will provide advanced communication, advanced targeting capability, and significant interoperability improvements for mobile computing devices used by Dismounted JTACs, for vehicle-mounted systems, and for stationary systems used in operations centers. Future upgrades necessary to maintain interoperability with strike aircraft, joint fire support systems, and emerging data networking waveforms will be guided by the TACP CASS Information System Initial Capabilities Document (IS ICD) approved by the Air Force Requirement Oversight Council (AFROC), Functional Capabilities Board (FCB), and Joint Capabilities Board (JCB). CASS v2.0 provides a modular architecture for digital communications, messaging, data handling, hardware management, and targeting, and battle space awareness capabilities. The architecture includes a Core Module, an HMI module, and an Application Logic module with multiple mission plug-in features. The software is being developed in two versions ASOC/TOC (A/T) and Dismounted/Mounted (D/M) to support a wide variety of radio systems (including but not limited to AN/PRC-117F, AN/PRC-117G, AN/ PRC-148, AN/PRC-152A, AN/PRC-154, AN/PRC-158, Harris RF-335M-HH, AN/PRC-150C, and other emerging systems that are expected to be employed by TACPs in the future). The key characteristic of the software will be the Open System, Modular architecture that will enable rapid integration with new external devices (such as laser range finders and radios) and rapid development, testing and fielding of new mission capability modules to meet future requirements. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development effort to upgrade systems that have fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2019
• Source ID: 0207444F_7_3600_PB_2019
• Change Summary Explanation: FY2019 funding decreased due to higher Air Force priorities
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• C4I
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Artillery Fire
• Combat Operations
• Command And Control
• Communications Protocols
• Computing Devices
• Digital Communications
• Fire Support
• Human-Machine Interfaces
• Information Systems
• Operating Systems
• Situational Awareness
• Tactical Air Support
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Warfare

Fields of Study

• Computer science

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Geochemistry
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Directed Energy
• Space