Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) (MIP)
Abstract
(U) Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) is an Airborne Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA)/Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability directly supporting Battlespace Awareness for tactical commanders in irregular warfare scenarios. Specifically, ACS will provide real-time, persistent, precision, networked, wide-area, high-capacity, multi-sensor intelligence collection capability throughout the joint battlespace. ACS will quickly produce actionable intelligence that provides commanders and soldiers critical shared situational understanding delivered with the speed, accuracy, and timeliness necessary to conduct successful and when necessary, lethal joint operations. ACS will support focused Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace (IPB), Indications and Warnings (I&W), precision targeting, battle damage assessment (BDA), Situational Development, battle command, and Force Protection. Each of these will be synchronized with operations in order to develop and maintain situational awareness and reduce clutter in the maneuver environment. ACS will be a manned, fixed-wing aircraft capable of worldwide deployment carrying multiple sensor payloads and intelligence processing, appropriate air/ground/satellite data links, and air crew (i.e., pilots and intelligence systems operations). The RSTA/ISR payload will consist of a suite of modular, scaleable Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) sensors and processors that can operate alone or simultaneously in combination with each other (e.g., automated cross-cueing). The intelligence processing suite onboard ACS and in the ground station, provided by the Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A), will integrate the products from all ACS Sensor payloads as well as the sensor feeds from other joint force sensors, including manned/unmanned (MUM) teaming with Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), to provide a correlated near-real-time picture of the tactical operational environment with the greatest degree of granularity possible. Onboard communications will consist of a robust set of line-of-sight (LOS) and satellite communications (SATCOM) datalinks that will enable direct linkage to Brigade Combat Teams, Manned-Unmanned teaming with Army UAS, wideband/worldwide connectivity to DCGS and the Global Information Grid, and interoperability with other Army, Joint and National RSTA/ISR assets. ACS will be a critical and integral component of the future force. The Department of Defense (DoD) has redefined the Aerial Common Sensor Program as the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS). The EMARSS program will be funded through PE 0307207A - Aerial Common Sensor Project 024 in FY10 and and 655626 - Aerial Common Sensor Project AC5 in FY11 and beyond.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Source ID
- 028_0203744A_7_2040_PB_2012
Related Documents
- Root: Aircraft Modifications/Product Improvement Programs
- Child Accomplishment: EMARSS Program Management
- Child Cost Item: 4f240c9947696ec95222ec1931374f25