Tactical Air Control Party-Mod
Abstract
This budget line funds the Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Weapon System which executes precision strike, integration, and all-domain command and control operations to meet Air Force air, space, and cyber power projection and joint force objectives. TACP Airmen are the USAF's highly mobile and scalable ground-based command and control capability, which seamlessly integrates kinetic and non-kinetic effects cross the entire spectrum of conflict, by providing agile command and control to compete with or defeat peer adversaries at the tactical edge in highly contested environments. Additionally, TACP Airmen conduct precision strike and integration operations at all echelons of ground maneuver warfare, from dismounted operations on the front lines to Tactical Operation Center (TOC) operations; TACP Airmen plan, request, advise, and control joint fires and air power to meet commander objectives. The purpose of the Tactical Air Control Party - Modernization (TACP-M) program is to provide TACPs voice, data and video communications, as well as targeting and battlefield awareness/management capabilities across all domains. 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 jointly develops software with other AFSPECWAR programs to consolidate requirements that are common across the AFSPECWAR enterprise. This teaming arrangement helps standardize operational TACP 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 five major areas: (1) Air Support Operations Center (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 Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) during Dismounted infantry operations), and (4) Digitally-Aided Close Air Support (DACAS) software, (5) Support USAF TOC-Light and TOC-Medium, as well as, support new USAF Tactical Airspace Control System (TACS)/Army Air Ground System (AAGS). ASOC provides execution management and integration with fires systems, utilizes Air Operations Center (AOC) (i.e., the Air Tasking Order (ATO), Airspace Control Order (ACO)) inputs and archives data, provides a visual depiction and will assist in the management of the forward battlespace/area of contention in coordination with DOD, non-governmental, and international partners. It additionally provides TACP planning documents and data management/server capability for integrating ISR management, Common Operation Picture (COP) displays, target lists/priorities, and video feeds; managing ATOs in real time; and receiving Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) inputs. The ASOC will tie into the Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) Program Management Directive (PMD); provide Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) capabilities that will be leader-centric, network enabled, and ready to operate in complex and degraded information environments; and support/execute air taskings should the AOC require assistance during periods of degraded operations. Dismounted and ASOC/TOC/Mounted (ATM) software meets the technical needs of implementing TACP Command and Control (C2) capabilities in operational environments. Software supports a wide variety of radio systems and other emerging systems 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, targeting, and battle space awareness capabilities. The key characteristic of the software will be the agile development of Open System, Modular architectures that will enable rapid integration with new end user devices (such as laser range finders, radios, Full Motion Video (FMV), targeting and laptops/hand held computing devices, and tactical gateways) and rapid development, testing and fielding of new mission capability modules to meet immediate and future requirements. TACP C2 elements will be aligned and integrated with the Advanced Battle Management System to ensure synergy of effort. TACP DACAS (WARHAWK) 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 DACAS software enables digital data communications with joint C2 nodes, other TACPs, strike aircraft, and Army C2 and Fire Support systems. It includes interfaces with ASOC/TOC, 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 airspace, the integration of air and surface fires and Close Air Support (CAS) in support of ground maneuver forces. The DACAS 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, DACAS 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. TACP DACAS (Special Warfare Assault Kit (SWAK)) - This program is a Software Engineering and Integration Program. The software acquisition uses a modern software development methodology and is not primarily in sustainment. It has no objective system and will use iterative development across the program's lifecycle. A suite of map-centric software applications that enables the transfer of precision targeting, information management, C4ISR (Command, Control Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and Situational Awareness (SA) information is constantly being iteratively developed and integrated to provide the Special Warfare operators (TACPs) the ability to find, fix, track, target, and engage the enemy to include control and re-targeting of Network Enabled Weapons (NEW)”. This greatly reduces the kill chain and drastically decreases the possibility of fratricide by enhancing the operator's SA on the battlefield. Funding supports Dismounted, Vehicle Mounted, and ASOC/TOC software and hardware to address: interfaces with new Dismounted requirements, evolution of existing Tactical Assault Kit (TAK)/SWAK software which provides a framework for the TACP software interfaces, ASOC-Mod (interoperability and hardware/software interfaces), changes to Army fires support systems, changes to AOC Theater Battle Management Core Systems, updates for fielded versions, new USAF and Army future JADC2 capabilities, EMS (Electro-Magnetic Spectrum) Awareness and defensive/offensive capabilities, C2 shelter/trailer development, Small Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS) relaying and targeting equipment development, MCS connectivity, new joint DACAS standards, technical support to operators employing the software, and system prototyping for required future ASOC/TOC/Vehicle Mounted system capabilities. Items requested in FY24 as identified in this Exhibit are representative but not limited to the items to be developed. Items developed during execution may change based on critical equipment needed to support current Air Force mission requirements. Due to the rapidly changing threat environment, the acquisition program manager has the authority to redirect funding as necessary to meet current slated and emerging requirements for operational TACP units. TACP-M funding also supports innovation activities to include studies, analyses, requirements definition, and quick-reaction capability prototypes/demonstrations to accelerate planning for technology transition, technology insertion and future acquisition programs. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY2022 $0.000M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2023 $0.000M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. 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, 2024
- Source ID
- 0207444F_7_3600_PB_2024
- Change Summary Explanation
- FY23 Project 674934 TACP-M funding incorrect due to a database error. Project 674934 TACP-M FY23 Current President Budget should equal $10.008M. In FY23, there is a -$0.296 SBIR/STTR adjustment
- Service Agency Name
- Air Force
Entities
Organizations
- United States Air Force
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