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. FY19 funding will continue MPS Inc 5 project which will complete the initial migration of select Air Force platforms from their legacy planning systems to the new Mission Planning System (aka (JMPS)). MPS Inc 5 is comprised 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 program known as MPS Inc 5 to improve transparency and oversight. As such, MPS Inc 5 is a continuation of efforts previously stated under the development umbrella of the MPS Modernization project. Inc 5, formally an Acquisition Category (ACAT) IAC Program, was reclassified to ACAT III by the Milestone Decision Authority on 17 October 2017. In addition, FY19 funding will continue the MPS Modernization project. It will develop pre-, post-, and in-flight mission planning capabilities for Air Force aircraft Global Positioning System (GPS) 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, EC-130, E-3, E-8, F-15, F-16, F-22A, RC-135, and their associated weapons (e.g., Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Munitions (JASSM), Network Enabled Weapons (NEW)) Development of NEW modules support the configuration of this class of weapons, thereby; enabling warfighters to enter and execute missions using data links used by US and coalition aircraft. It will support the development of follow on modernization efforts for MAFPS, SMACC CSAR (HC/MC-130, HH-60)and Global Mobility (C-5,C-17,C-130, KC-10, KC-135, KC-46) to be delivered after the initial MPS Inc 5 releases are fielded. Finally, FY19 funding will be utilized to continue the development of the Joint Precision Airdrop System- Mission Planning (JPADS-MP)system in conjunction with the Army. This program includes the 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 and deliver 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, and other data to accurately deliver payloads to keep the warfighter supplied and in the fight. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver Mission Planning weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605826F, 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605830F, 0605831F, 0605832F, and 0605898F. 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, 2019
• Source ID: 0208006F_7_3600_PB_2019
• Change Summary Explanation: The FY2019 funding request was reduced by $11.665M to account for the availability of prior year execution balances.
• 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

• Aerial Delivery
• Air Drop Operations
• Air Traffic
• Basic Programming Language
• Command And Control
• Computers
• Department Of Defense
• Global Positioning Systems
• High Altitude
• Life Cycle Management
• Navigation
• Operating Systems
• Satellite Guided Weapons
• Software Development
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.

Technology Areas

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