Tech Maturation & Risk Reduct

Abstract

The Airbase Air Defense Systems (ABADS) program is the principal USAF program to provide the ability to detect, track, identify, and defeat airborne threats to missions and assets including small-unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), Rockets, Artillery and Mortars (RAM), and Missiles. The counter-sUAS (C-sUAS), counter-RAM (C-RAM), and BMC2 efforts to counter missiles seek to protect strategic assets vital to national security. ABADS efforts protects personnel and assets whether CONUS or deployed in theater. Regarding C-sUAS, to counter the threats posed by the rapid proliferation of inexpensive yet highly-capable systems, and the enemies who target US Service members, Allies, and Coalition partners, the ABADS program will continue to analyze evolving threats, evaluate new capabilities, and design an open-system architecture that reduces life cycle cost and enables fielding to all 180+ AF installations. The Air Force works closely with the DoD Joint C-sUAS Office to align annual efforts. ABADS FY2023 funding will further develop Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) systems. The centerpiece of this effort is the Medusa Command and Control (C2) system, whose Modular Open-Systems Architecture enables rapid integration with the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), Link 16, and Universal Command & Control (UC2). The Medusa C2 system supports Joint All-Domain Command & Control (JADC2) development and employs electronic warfare capabilities, artificial intelligence for operator task automation, a closed-loop training system for operator certification and proficiency, and track fusion. Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) FY2023 funding will leverage Air Force and Joint command and control capabilities to develop a prototype BMC2 capability optimized for Air Force defense of air bases and other critical infrastructure against massed precision missile attacks, which represents a major challenge in a high-end fight. In response, the Air Force will integrate the prototype battle management system with existing sensors, and a classified non-kinetic defense capability at a U.S. location, and field production representative base defense prototypes at one base in the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) and one base in the US European Command (USEUCOM) AOR to support theater specific integration and assessments. This capability requires a system of systems approach and will be integrated into JADC2 and ABMS. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver Air Base Air Defense System capabilities for emergent or unanticipated 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, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY21 0.053M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element. In FY22 0.251M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. This requirement supports performance of a full financial audit as required by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 640410_0207522F_4_3600_PB_2023

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• AI & ML
• AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Fully Networked C3
• Microelectronics