Operational Weaponeering and Analysis

Abstract

The Operational Weaponeering and Analysis (OWA) branch in the Weapons PEO provides mission critical classified weapons' effectiveness analysis and Modeling and Simulation (M&S) tools in direct support of the Air Combat Command (ACC) Targeting mission. The M&S Targeting tool capabilities are designed to meet both Air Force (AF) Master Plan and DoD National Defense Strategy objectives and LOEs. The Weapons PEO within AFLCMC is integrating ACC and AFRL MAJCOM goals to establish a Digital Engineering and Transformation path to create a ‘pipeline' of capabilities that will support weapon and target requirements integration from R&D to Operational Warfighting within ACC, Combatant Commands (CCMDs), and other DoD Intelligence Agencies. OWA provides mission critical National Security Software (NSS) M&S software to meet instructions and directives found in CJCSI 3160 and 3170, as well as, AFI 14-401 and JP 3-60. M&S classified software tools are operationally critical to overall mission success and weapons employment. Weapons employment is not legally possible until a complete target and weapon analysis has been completed. The classified M&S software tools are in constant development to support evolving weapon phenomenology (conventional, directed energy, high power microwave, cyber, hypersonic, etc.) within the Weapons PEO and target modeling of a wide range of multi-domain targets, which includes structural, ground mobile, ships, and more. The Integrated Munitions Effects Analysis (IMEA) software is a classified mission critical program that provides Air Force Operational Warfighters with unique analytical capabilities. These unique capabilities are associated with Hard Deeply Buried Targets (HDBTs), Nuclear Weapons, and Weapons of Counter Mass Destruction (C-WMD) weapons employment. In addition, IMEA also analyzes national strategic sites facility defeat information with Nuclear and WMD weapons in support of Global Strike Command operational warfighter requirement. IMEA is also the software for Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) and Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB) lethality estimates in DoD. The Air Force Target and Effect Software (AFTES) provides an all-domain weapon and target capability to support Advanced Target Development and Intermediate Target Development within ACC and Joint environments. This classified software creates software that is digital, agile, and open. The tool is focused on integration of capabilities from ABMS into the JADC2 environment within a single open Modelling and Simulation (M&S) Engagement Framework to provide capabilities to the tactical edge. In addition, AFTES will draw it requirements from the ACC Agile Combat Employment (ACE) LOE to meet objectives laid out by the CSAF. In addition to operational support, IMEA and AFTES provides analytical reachback for both operational and weapon acquisition communities. OWA also aligns with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Research and Development (R&D) weapon lethality and effectiveness missions to create an R&D pipeline of capabilities all maintained in a single M&S software framework which allows the software to be easily developed, deployed, and maintained within the OWA Division. The AF assumed operational support and development of the IMEA program from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in FY22. DTRA will continue to support Air Force with basic R&D research of new capabilities associated with HDBT, Nuclear, and WMD as defined by Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DTRA and the AF. OWA has become the operational transition partner for DTRA and AFRL to integrate and field all weapon and target R&D technology to AF and other Joint Environments. This program leverages Digital acquisition tenets of open, agile, and digital. Invests in analytical, information management, data management, digital environments, networks, facilities, and security infrastructure upgrades directly supporting development and sustainment of this program's capabilities, while leveraging DoD and DAF enterprise IT solutions. The FY2024 funding request was reduced by $2.163 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver 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, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY22 $0.300M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY23 $0.350M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. 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, 2024
• Source ID: 648030_0208030F_4_3600_PB_2024

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Research.
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Directed Energy
• Hypersonics