Compass Call

Abstract

COMPASS CALL is the USAF's wide-area, airborne Command and Control Warfare/Information Operations (C2W /IO) weapon system. The employment of this system interdicts adversary's use of the electronic battlespace and is a key active component in the information battlespace and prosecution of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). COMPASS CALL's sophisticated electronic combat system is capable of surgical denial or disruption of adversary radio frequency (RF) communications systems and sensors. The system was fielded in 1983 and to date has evolved through the fielding of the Baseline 2 (BL2) configuration and the mid-Baseline 2 (MBL2) enhancements. BL2 configuration and MBL2 enhancements currently being fielded have advanced COMPASS CALL's electronic attack capabilities significantly over the two previously fielded baselines (BL0 and BL1). Due to the rapid advances in electronic attack technology, COMPASS CALL was designed to be easily modified and must continue to modernize and evolve to keep pace with adversary tactics and emerging technologies. Continuous system development is required to maintain battlespace superiority. The two COMPASS CALL Mission Crew Simulators (CCMCS #1 and CCMCS #2) are upgraded per the Baseline schedule to ensure training capacity keeps pace and matches the operational and technological upgrades delivered in the fielded aircraft. The Weapons System Trainer (WST) mirrors the capabilities of the fielded aircraft's cockpit avionics and communications equipment as well to ensure training requirements provide the worldwide operational proficiency needed to comply with continually evolving communications, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) and required navigation performance (RNP) enhancements, parameters, and guidance. The COMPASS CALL program employs an incremental development and fielding strategy that puts capability into the warfighter's hands as soon as practical and ensures each iteration of the weapon system is effective against the highest priority threats. To sustain that process requires a steady stream of system development funds. Development funds are required to accomplish subsystem additions and improvements such as the digital signal analysis and exciter subsystem (AXE), the third generation of Special Purpose Emitter Array (SPEAR), new modern communications receiver technologies, new IR and counter radar technologies, the Human-to-Machine Interface (HMI), digital cockpit avionics with multi-function displays (a.k.a. glass cockpits), network centric operations, phased array transmit and receive apertures and other classified hardware, firmware and software developments necessary to counter military and commercial communications evolutions, command and control operations enhancements, and new/emerging sensor developments. FY 2018 RDT&E efforts will concentrate on support for Baseline 3 (BL3) prime mission equipment (PME) upgrades, integration of BL3 PME into a new platform, and ground systems/simulators. The programmed BL3 upgrades will advance the PME capabilities as the 2018 development efforts address the evolving electronic attack requirement for the foreseeable future. Obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources (DMS)/Vanishing Vendor Items (VVI) are addressed with each baseline upgrade/enhancement as well as annually as part of the sustainment responsibilities. FY 2018 RDT&E efforts include studies and analyses to support current program planning and execution including, but not limited to, Advanced Radar Countermeasure System (ARCS) and environmental characterizations. FY2018 RDT&E efforts include future Baseline 4 (BL4) and future baseline capability planning, specifications and requirements. Due to the rapidly changing threat environment encountered during our prolonged commitment to OCO, the acquisition program manager has the authority to redirect funding as necessary to meet current stated and emerging requirements. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2018
• Source ID: 674804_0207253F_7_3600_PB_2018

Tags

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.

Technology Areas

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