Mission Planning Systems

Abstract

Mission planning involves the creation of a flight plan based on multiple inputs including threats, targets, terrain, weather, aircraft performance capability, and configuration. It is an essential task that must be completed prior to any fixed- or rotary wing aircraft sortie. The planner must have the ability to plan weapon, cargo, passenger, and/or fuel delivery, calculate fuel requirements, and assess the route based on known enemy threat location and type. Mission planners must be able to optimize and de-conflict flight routes with other aircraft; review, print, and brief the plan; download pertinent flight information to on-board aircraft avionics; and, conduct dynamic/in-flight re-planning as applicable. The Mission Planning Systems (MPS) program is a collaborative program with the Navy to leverage technical solutions and business practices for all Department of Defense (DoD) platforms. It provides automated mission planning tools and support for fixed- and rotary wing aircraft and guided munitions. It replaces two closed architecture legacy mission planning systems (UNIX-based MPS (UNIX-MPS) and the PC-based Portable Flight Planning Software (PFPS)), with a single multi-service, open architecture system, frequently referred to as the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS). MPS will compress the mission planning cycle by providing an improved integrated planning environment, reducing the time required to respond to changing situations and urgent needs such as striking time sensitive/critical targets and conducting combat search and rescue. MPS products have the potential to support all DoD fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft and is shared with the selected programs in the Navy. MPS will deliver significant benefits to command and control performance by enhancing information superiority for the warfighter and by providing unique capabilities in support of both precision engagement and dominant maneuver. MPS Increment 5 will complete the initial migration of Air Force platforms from their legacy planning systems to the new Mission Planning System (aka the Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS)). It will complete development of three efforts originally started as separate and individual projects with the MPS Modernization development effort. Those projects are: 1) Mobility Air Forces Automated Flight Planning Service (MAFPS); 2) Air Mobility Command (AMC) Transition; and 3) Special Mission Air Combat Command, Combat Search and Rescue (SMACC CSAR). These projects, and their associated platforms, are now included in the overarching MPS Major Automated Information Systems (MAIS) program as MPS Increment 5 to provide improved transparency and oversight. As such, MPS Increment 5 is not a new start but a continuation of efforts previously started under the development umbrella of the MPS Modernization project. In addition to the above, elements of Mission Planning Systems will be utilized to continue development of a Joint Precision Airdrop System - Mission Planning (JPADS-MP) in conjunction with the Army. The JPADS capability provides a planning capability for DoD airdrop requirements. It is the primary airdrop mission planning system for all ballistic airdrop missions, as well as, precision guided airdrops that are required when the mission profile or surface-to-air threat assessment warrants a high-altitude and/or standoff precision delivery. JPADS-MP enables high-altitude, precise airdrop delivery to forward ground forces, mitigating surface-to-air threats, reducing risk of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and insurgent attack on ground convoys. JPADS allows the warfighter to consider weather, terrain, aircraft capabilities, threat, etc... to accurately deliver payloads to keep the warfighter supplied and in the fight. FY17 funding will continue the MPS software development program. It will develop pre-, post-, and in-flight mission planning capabilities for Air Force aircraft and weapons migrating from legacy mission planning systems to the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS), as well as, continuing to provide new capabilities and updates for Air Force platforms/weapon systems that have already migrated to JMPS. These platforms/weapon systems include, but are not limited to, the B-1, C-5, C-17, C-130, HC-130, EC-130, E-3, E-8, F-15, F-16, F-22A, KC-10, KC-46, KC-135, RC-135, HH-60, and their associated weapons (e.g. Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Munitions (JASSM), etc.). FY17 funding will also continue the development of the Mobility Air Force Automated Flight Planning Service (MAFPS) to realize fuel savings and other efficiencies. Additionally, it will continue the development of JPADS-MP airdrop software (and other system components) to provide a precision airdrop capability for the C-17, C-130, and other selected platforms as necessary. The FY 2017 funding request was reduced by $2.3 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. 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.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2017
Source ID
0208006F_7_3600_PB_2017
Change Summary Explanation
FY17 RDT&E reduced $4.3M for higher Air Force priorities FY17 RDT&E reduced $2.3M for the availability of prior year execution funds
Service Agency Name
Air Force

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Delivery
  • Air Drop Operations
  • Air Traffic
  • Air Transportation
  • Basic Programming Language
  • Command And Control
  • Computer Programming
  • Computers
  • Inertial Navigation
  • Inertial Navigation Systems
  • Information Systems
  • Navigation
  • Operating Systems
  • Software Development
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

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

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control

Related Documents