Combat Air Forces (CAF) Planning Systems

Abstract

Mission planning involves the creation of a flight plan based on threats, targets, terrain, weather, aircraft performance capability and configuration. It is an essential task that must be completed prior to any fixed or rotary wing aircraft sortie. The planner must have the ability to plan weapon, cargo, passenger, and/or fuel delivery, calculate fuel requirement and assess the route based on known enemy threat location and type. Mission planners must be able to optimize and de-conflict flight routes with other aircraft; review, print and brief the plan; and download pertinent flight information to on-board aircraft avionics. This project focuses on developing mission planning systems for the Combat Air Forces (CAF), including the initial transition of the HH-60 aircraft from the legacy PFPS to MPS. It will also modernize the Mission Planning Systems (MPS) software required for CAF mission planning, including versions required to keep pace with upgrades to the A-10, B-1B, F-15, F-16, F-22A and HH-60 aircraft as well as common components such as the Precision Guided Munitions Planning System (PGMPS) and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). Mission Planning CAF increments and modernization efforts are as follows: a. MPS Increment III - continues the initial migration of additional aircraft platforms (A-10, B-1B, F-16, F-22 and RC-135) and weapons (e.g. JASSM) to MPS. It also upgrades the framework and develops new common components (e.g. Weather, Electronic Warfare, Airdrop, and Precision Guided Munitions) and unique platform capabilities for selected aircraft and weapons. b. MPS Increment IV - continues the MPS migration effort by migrating the HH-60. It also upgrades several Common Components. In addition, Increment IV updates platforms that previously transitioned to MPS (e.g. F-15, F-16, A-10, B-1B, and F-22A) to provide capabilities IAW the Increment IV Capability Development Document (CDD). c. CAF MPE Modernization - Will modernize CAF Mission Planning Environments (MPEs) that were developed and deployed in Increments II-IV. The modernization activities will provide new and improved mission planning capabilities for individual MPEs as required to meet evolving Operational Flight Program (OFP) requirements (such as new weapons, avionics upgrades, communication systems, etc...) for the various affected platforms. The modernization effort will also complete a variety of studies and analyses to evaluate emerging Information Technology (IT) infrastructure technologies in support of future system upgrades.

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Document Details

Document Type
Project
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2011
Source ID
675380_0208006F_7_3600_PB_2011

Tags

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics

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