Tact Air Dir Infrared CM (TADIRCM)

Abstract

This element includes development of electronic warfare systems for worldwide deployment of United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) assault aircraft. This includes the development and testing of advanced infrared (IR) countermeasures systems for aircraft survivability against emerging threats and for emergency contingencies. This program develops Hostile Fire Indication (HFI), and Laser Warning Sensors that integrates IR missile countermeasures with aircraft Countermeasures Dispensing Systems (CMDS) and expendables. DAIRCM adopts future multi-band, networking capabilities to facilitate real-time transfer of threat information, off-board queuing, and control of onboard sensors. DAIRCM studies and evaluates current and future aircraft threats, makes modeling and simulation for improved countermeasure capabilities, develops, tests and provides test equipment to address new and emerging threats for improved aircraft survivability of assault aircraft in complex terrain and EW environments. JUSTIFICATION FOR BUDGET ACTIVITY: This program is funded under ADVANCED COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT AND PROTOTYPES because it includes all efforts necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative models or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
• Source ID: 0604272N_4_1319_PB_2024
• Change Summary Explanation: The FY24 funding request increased by $18.582M for continued design, development, integration and test of the AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures (DAIRCM) system. Several factors contributed to a revised program schedule to include previous reprioritization decisions resulting in funding reductions across the FYDP and global supply chain issues impacting the prime contractor's ability to acquire hardware components to support system processor and sensor development, build and test. PB24 provides funding across the FYDP and coupled with the FY23 congressional add, executes a program strategy to introduce capability to the Fleet as quickly as possible. As a result of these factors, the following adjustments have occurred from PB23 to PB24. Acquisition Milestones: DAIRCM Test Readiness Review (TRR) IOT&E Gate was in Q2FY24 at PB23. Due to later than expected deliveries of EMD hardware, TRR has been separated into two events. TRR1 is in Q2FY23 and is expected to determine the system's ability to enter into Software in the Loop (SIL) testing and allows the buy down of technical risk earlier in the program than previously planned. TRR2 is in Q4FY23 and is expected to determine the system's ability to enter into developmental flight test. DAIRCM Milestone C moved from 3QFY24 to 4QFY25. Full Rate Production Decision (FRPD) moved from 1QFY26 to 2QFY27. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) moved from 4QFY26 to 3QFY28. Contract Milestones: The EMD contract award was extended by 13 months to allow for later than expected hardware deliveries. The Engineering Design Model (EDM) hardware deliveries moved from Q1FY23 to Q1FY24. EMD deliveries began on time but will take the entirety of FY23 to deliver vice the previously contracted completion of deliveries in Q1 of FY23. The Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract award moved from Q3FY24 to Q1FY26. The LRIP delivery schedule moved from Q4FY25-Q1FY27 to Q3FY26-Q3FY28. The Full-Rate Production (FRP) contract award moved from Q1FY26 to Q2FY27. The FRP delivery schedule moved from Q1FY27-Q4FY27 to Q3FY28-Q4FY28. The DRS BOA, IDIQ contract, and Production Representative Models (PRM) were added to the schedule. Test and Evaluation: DAIRCM Integrated Test (IT) moved from Q1FY24-Q2FY24 to Q1FY26-Q3FY26. Due to the later than expected deliveries of EMD hardware, the program has adopted a SIL heavy test program using surrogate hardware to buy down program technical risk in in FY23 while waiting for the delivery of actual EMD hardware. The program will execute a fly-fix-fly strategy during developmental flight test in FY24 and early FY25. This will maximize the number of deficiencies that can be discovered and corrected prior to the COTF Operational Assessment and MS-C Decision. Independent Logistics Assessment (ILA) moved from Q4FY23 to Q4FY24. Flight Test (FT) Q3FY23 has been removed and replaced with Developmental Test (DT) and is now in Q2FY4-Q1FY25. FY24 DAIRCM Live Fire (LF) has been removed and replaced with Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) in Q1FY25-Q2FY25 and FY26 DAIRCM Live Fire (LF) has been changed to Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) 3Q26-4Q26. Installation of PRM hardware on an Operational Test (OT) aircraft is the precursor to post-MSC IT, LFT&E and OT. DAIRCM Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) has been removed and replaced with OT on the schedule. SIL TEST has been added to the schedule. First Article (FA) has been removed from the schedule. SVR/FC/A/PRR moved from Q3FY24 to Q3FY25 and has been realigned from T&E to Production Milestones on the schedule. Software Builds: Pt. Mugu Software Development Builds and DRS Software Builds were added to the schedule. OT Installs/IOC Installs/FRP Installs, NRL SW Threat Pacing Development Builds, and DRS Pre Planned Product Improvements have been added to provide additional detail in FY26-28. JUONS Technical Insertion and installs were removed.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Advanced Electronics
• Air Platforms
• Kinetic Weapons
• Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Attack Aircraft
• Cost Analysis
• Deployment
• Developmental Tests
• Emerging Threats
• Engineering
• Infrared Countermeasures
• Lessons Learned
• Logistics
• Product Development
• Software Development
• Survival Equipment
• Tactical Aircraft
• Test And Evaluation
• Test Equipment
• United States

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

• Directed Energy
• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems