Tactical Air Control Party-Mod

Abstract

Tactical Air Control Party (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. These capabilities are employed at all echelons of Army organizations by: Air Support Operation Center (ASOC) TACPs, Division TACPs, Brigade TACPs, Battalion TACPs, and dismounted Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) deployed with Army companies or scout teams on the front lines. TACPs coordinate, request, and control Strike aircraft, Joint fires, 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 ASOCs and Tactical Operations Centers (TOC), mobile operations in tactical vehicles, and dismounted (on foot) operations with Army infantry patrols. The purpose of the Tactical Air Control Party - Modernization (TACP-M) program is to provide TACPs voice, data and video communications, targeting and battlefield awareness/management capabilities. 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 using networked data communication. The TACP-M program support includes addressing frequent TACP combat deployments that sometimes lead users to change equipment procurement priorities to support urgent operational needs and respond to evolving threat environments. The TACP-M program works with the Special Warfare (SW) program office to procure dismounted equipment and software. This teaming arrangement helps standardize battlefield airmen equipment, improve efficiency by consolidating acquisition efforts, and often reduces unit costs by increasing procurement quantities. The TACP-M program provides and modernizes capabilities in the following four major areas: (1) ASOC/TOC systems (used in fixed and mobile operations centers), (2) Vehicle Mounted Systems (used in TACP tactical vehicles) and semi-mobile operations, (3) Dismounted Systems (used by JTACs during dismounted infantry operations), and (4) Close Air Support System (CASS) software. CASS software provides required advanced communication, advanced targeting capability, and significant interoperability improvements for mobile computing devices used by vehicle-mounted systems and stationary systems used in operations centers. TACP CASS software enables digital data communications with joint Command and Control (C2) nodes, other TACPs, strike aircraft, and Army C2 and Fire Support systems. It includes interfaces with TOC, ASOC, and JTAC radios, and targeting devices, interoperability across the Dismounted, vehicle-mounted systems, and ASOC/TOC mission sets. It also provides battlespace awareness capabilities needed to plan, request, coordinate, and control CAS in support of ground maneuver forces. The CASS software 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); along with emerging waveform technologies. ASOC provides management and integration with fires systems, utilizes Air Operations Center (AOC) inputs and archives data, provides a visual depiction of battlespace in coordination with DOD, non-governmental and international partners, house and share TACP planning documents, provides server capability for battlespace, integrates ISR management and video feeds, managing Air Tasking real time, modernizing Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) capability. The ASOC will provide C2 capabilities that will be leader-centric, network enabled, and ready to operate in complex and degraded information environments. Dismounted and ASOC/TOC/Mounted (ATM) software meets the technical needs of implementing TACP C2 capabilities in operational environments. Software supports 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, AN/PRC-161, AN/PRC-163, Harris RF-335M-HH, AN/PRC-150C, AN/PRC-160 and other emerging systems that are expected to be employed by TACPs in the future). Future upgrades are necessary to maintain interoperability with strike aircraft, joint fire support systems, and emerging data networking waveforms. Software upgrades provide a modular architecture for digital communications, messaging, data handling, hardware management, and targeting, and battle space awareness capabilities. The key characteristic of the software will be the Open System, Modular architecture that will enable rapid integration with new end user devices (such as laser range finders and radios) and rapid development, testing and fielding of new mission capability modules to meet future requirements. Funding supports Dismount, ATM, and ASOC software to address: interfaces with new dismount requirements, ASOC modernization (interoperability and hardware/software interfaces), changes to Army fires support systems, changes to AOC Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS), updates for fielded versions, new joint Digitally-Aided CAS (DACAS) standards, technical support to operators employing the software, and system prototyping for required future ASOC/TOC/Mounted system capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver CASS weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System 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. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: 0207444F_7_3600_PB_2021
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• C4I
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Artillery Fire
• Battle Damage Assessment
• Combat Operations
• Command And Control
• Communications Protocols
• Computing Devices
• Damage Assessment
• Digital Communications
• Fire Support
• Radio Equipment
• Situational Awareness
• Software Design
• Tactical Air Support
• Test And Evaluation
• 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
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space