Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS)

Abstract

Mission: E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is the premier airborne platform providing battle management (BM)/command and control (C2) for Commander In Chief and combatant commander tasking in joint, allied, and coalition operations, humanitarian relief, and homeland defense. AWACS provides a real-time picture of friendly, neutral, and hostile air activity. Its capabilities include all-altitude/all-weather surveillance of the battle space; early warning of enemy actions; a real-time ability to find, fix, track, and assess airborne or maritime threats; and detection, location, and identification of electronic emitters. 1. Block 40/45 is replacing AWACS 1970's vintage mission systems that are experiencing Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) issues, are difficult and expensive to upgrade, and limit overall AWACS system performance. The Block 40/45 upgrade will improve integration, quality and timeliness of sensor data to the shooter, improve Combat Identification (CID), improve AWACS contribution to Time Critical Targeting via Data Link Infrastructure (DLI), improve electronic support measures processing and enable more effective, faster upgrades via an open-system, Ethernet-based architecture. This upgrade also updates the ground support infrastructure, training systems [(Mission Crew Training Set (MCTS), and Mission Computing Maintenance Trainer (MCMT)], data links and the Avionics Integration Support Facility (AISF) all located at Tinker Air Force Base 2. Next Generation Identification Friend or Foe (NGIFF) provides AWACS with enhanced IFF interrogator operation to add a more secure Mode 5 capability. The National Security Agency (NSA) declared IFF Mode 4 unsecure and obsolete on 5 Nov 2003. Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memo 047-07 requires IFF Mode 5 interrogation capability by FY14. NGIFF is on track to declare IOC in Dec 2015. The new Mode 5 interrogation capability extends the effective range of the AWACS interrogator, while helping discriminate against closely spaced cooperative targets. NGIFF developed and integrated a basic Mode 5 capability on Block 30/35 starting in FY09 and began developing a full Mode 5 capability on Block 40/45 in FY11. Hardware will be common between the Block 30/35 and Block 40/45 platforms. NGIFF will also integrate Mode S, a civilian air traffic control capability residing in the NGIFF hardware, as funding allows. 3. DMS Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation (DRAGON) completes the FAA/International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)/EUROCONTROL (European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation) air traffic control mandated safety of flight capabilities. This program will provide the E-3 fleet with the flight instruments and other avionics for the Required Navigation Performance (RNP), and the surveillance and communication capabilities necessary to maintain continued critical unrestricted access to global airspace. Non-compliance will result in airspace restrictions and denials that will impact AWACS ability to support worldwide responses to situations requiring immediate on-scene Command and Control (C2) Battle Management (BM). DRAGON replaces the existing Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) Global Positioning System (GPS) Integrated Navigation System (GINS) with a modern Flight Management System (FMS) that will accommodate new capabilities including Mode 5 IFF and Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS). Also included as part of the modification is the addition of data link communications, voice and data link digital radios, improved visual displays, and competitive acquisition of DRAGON flight simulators. Emphasis on employment of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) avionics is expected to lower cost, reduce the tech refresh cycle, and enhance life cycle management. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of DRAGON is being executed as a Cooperative Program between the US and NATO. 4. Electronic Protection (EP): EP will provide improved radar processing in a specific flight environment to meet a classified requirement. Processing will initially address radar modes comprising 90% of operational AWACS radar usage. EP will install an adjunct processor that works in parallel with the current Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) system. The EP-processed radar picture will appear on the battle manager's display in place of the current RSIP output when the EP radar modes are selected. 5. Training, Support, and Infrastructure (TSI) program provides continuing management support for AWACS modernization and enhancement. These activities include managing the AWACS Development Test and Evaluation (DT&E) infrastructure and tracking and monitoring AWACS training, support equipment and program Government Furnished Property. The overall Development Test and Evaluation (DT&E) test infrastructure supports development, production, and sustainment projects and maintains facilities to support AWACS aircraft during system and sub-system testing at Boeing Field, WA. Funding is shared between Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) and production funds. The TSI assets also support multiple international Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) projects on a maintenance fee basis, not limited to projects for France, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Japan, and North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) AEW&C efforts.. Key programs include contractual management of the AWACS Avionics Integration Laboratory (AIL) integrated with the Block 40/45 configured Advanced Development Lab (ADL) and the AWACS Radar Systems Integration Lab/Software Development Facility (SIL/SDF). These labs provide US, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and international customers with a configured development and qualification system and subsystem environment supporting all AWACS system and radar development, production, and sustainment. TSI efforts allow new support equipment technologies and test strategies to be analyzed to ensure concurrent capability to sustain existing, modified, and upgraded E-3 equipment. TSI supports trainer/simulator upgrade analysis and requirements definition to ensure trainers and simulators are kept current with the AWACS baseline. 6. Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C2ISR): C2ISR system improvements investigate and develop future capabilities of the AWACS weapon system. These efforts also include but are not limited to the investigation, analysis and development to ensure that AWACS successfully integrates with joint and coalition forces in a net-centric environment. C2ISR primarily supports pre-systems acquisition in the areas of materiel solution analysis and technology development. This is accomplished by prototyping and demonstrating capabilities required by the warfighter but also includes developing an E-3 Modernization & Sustainment Roadmap that projects user capability needs, as well as materiel solutions for the user needs. 7. Internet Protocol Enabled Communication (IPEC): IPEC will provide the Block 40/45 E-3 with a medium-bandwidth IP communications capability to connect to the Global Information Grid and will support net-centric operations/warfare. IPEC will provide a reliable IP-enabled communication capability to support a shortened digitized kill-chain of time-sensitive targets. The modification will provide a permanent INMARSAT-based IP-enabled communications package supporting warfighter identified requirements for increased bandwidth SIPRNET and multi-domain networks. 8. MIDS (Multifunctional Information Distribution System) Radio System will provide a Link 16 capability with high-jam-resistance, high-speed, crypto-secure computer-to-computer connectivity in support of every type of military platform from Air Force fighters to Navy submarines. Current 20 year old Class 2 terminal has sustainability/Dimishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) issues and does not support mandated Crypto Mod (CM) & Freq Remap (FR). MIDS resolves DMS issues, provides CM & FR, Link 16 enhancements & growth for Next Gen Tactical Data Link (TDL). 9. AWACS current Combat Identification (CID) capability is based upon 1960's era technology that has become unsustainable, and requires an update to retain a significant part of AWACS overall mission capability. AWACS will addresses C2 CID shortfalls with a modern, persistent Airborne Moving Target Indication (AMTI) Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) combat ID. CID supports the kill chain and decision superiority. The upgrade will also provide for better integration into Block 40/45 and NGIFF equipped AWACS aircraft. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational Systems 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. The FY2016 funding request was reduced by $2.284 million to account for tha availability of prior execution balances.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2016
• Source ID: 67411L_0207417F_7_3600_PB_2016

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

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