Compass Call
Abstract
COMPASS CALL is the Air Force's wide-area, Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) Command and Control Warfare/Information Operations (C2W/IO) weapon system. The employment of this weapon system interrupts 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 attack system is capable of surgical denial and/or disruption of adversary Radio Frequency (RF) communications, radar and sensor systems. The system was fielded in 1983 and to date has evolved through a series of incremental upgrades. The Baseline 2 (BL2) configuration and the mid-Baseline 2 (MBL2) enhancements are the latest in a line of mission system upgrades to the EC-130H. The BL2 configuration and MBL2 enhancements currently fielded have advanced COMPASS CALL's electronic attack capabilities significantly over the two previously fielded baselines. Baseline 3 (BL3) activities address new target-specific techniques, selective capability against advanced commercial communications, digital voice recognition and digital mission crew systems. Due to the rapid advances in electronic attack techniques and technology, COMPASS CALL was designed to be adaptable and must continuously 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 mission system 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 provides the worldwide operational proficiency needed to comply with evolving Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) 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 Counter Radar technologies, Counter Communications, new target-specific techniques, new modern communications receiver technologies, further weight reduction, repackaged transmit antennas, the next generation of Special Purpose Emitter Array (SPEAR), Human-to-Machine Interface (HMI), 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 2021 RDT&E efforts will concentrate on Baseline 4 (BL4) and future baseline initiatives for Prime Mission Equipment (PME) upgrades and integration. The programmed BL4 upgrades will advance the PME capabilities as the FY 2021 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 2021 RDT&E efforts include studies and analyses to support current program planning and execution including, but not limited to development efforts for future baseline capability planning to include low-band transmit capability, transition to open architecture and increased Software-Defined Radio (SDR) capability, subsystem upgrades, power expansion, transmit and receive development, Size/Weight/Power and Cooling (SWAP-C) reductions and Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) clip-ins. Due to the rapidly changing threat environment encountered during COMPASS CALL's prolonged commitment to overseas operations, the acquisition program manager has the authority to redirect funding as necessary to meet current stated and emerging requirements. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver COMPASS CALL capabilities. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. 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, 2021
- Source ID
- 674804_0207253F_7_3600_PB_2021
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- Root: Compass Call
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