Joint Electronic Advanced Technology
Abstract
The widespread and growing availability of sophisticated, commercially available electronic sensors, computer modules, navigation and control components coupled with widely proliferated Man Portable Air Defense Systems (ManPADS), portable explosives, mortars, rockets provide terrorists and foreign military units with the novel means to rapidly construct a wide range of weapons capable of disruptive actions against military forces. In Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), the United States (US) must be ready to counter such weapons on short notice. The asymmetric nature of such devices is already well understood by terrorists. ManPADS, man portable weapons and mortars have been used to attack both air and ground forces, and pose a threat to any region due to their portability. Digital processors, analog-to-digital converters and digital optical sensors give terrorists the means to deploy unexpected threats on short notice. Because conventional kinetic defenses against these devices can be impractical in urban settings and because the speed of appearance of such devices can be short, such threats are disruptive and asymmetric in comparison with the typically long development cycles associated with US military defensive systems. These asymmetries highlight the need to rapidly evolve alternative Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations and Counter Terrorism capabilities suitable for neutralizing such threats. This program will investigate novel means to detect and neutralize these asymmetric threats, as well as special mission and other methods to employ asymmetric principles against our adversaries. This program seeks to identify rapidly deployable solutions (outside of service programs of record) that can effectively mitigate asymmetric threats by integrating advanced commercial or military off-the-shelf technology in innovative ways that augment and/or reduce risk when inserted into service programs of record. Laboratory and field testing is used to evaluate the feasibility and military utility of resultant low cost, near term capabilities. FY 2013 efforts will investigate, integrate, test and demonstrate elements of the following technologies: 1. Integrated Situational Awareness and Countermeasures Department of Defense (DoD) helicopters currently use a federated architecture of sensors and countermeasures to protect themselves against guided and unguided hostile threats while simultaneously avoiding collisions with the ground and other obstacles. These sensors typically provide the pilot with a separate display of radar, radar warning, missile warning or off-board communications to guide the pilot in selecting automatic or manual countermeasures against radar, laser, or radio frequency guided threats. These un-fused sensors create a serial information stream which can induce an inadequate response to the threat. Federated systems consume weight, space, and power which are at a premium in small platforms. The initial goal of this project is to fuse multiple functions such as missile detection and countermeasures, hostile fire detection, navigation in visually degraded environments, and active search using optical detection into a one or two aperture device with a single integrated display to produce improved situational awareness. Subsequent efforts of this joint service government/contractor team will assess integration of multi-platform sensor fusion using Radio Frequency (RF) and laser data-links to create cross-platform shared situational awareness among a section or division of helicopters or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which is more complete than a single platform warning/tracking system. Such efforts will be proven in a series of Rotary Wing Aircraft Survivability Equipment (RASE) experiments bringing sensors and shooters together in a collaborative learning environment using live fire with a variety of weapons and environments. 2. Low Cost/Near Term Counter Asymmetric Systems Investigate low cost, near term technologies solutions to allow aircraft to fly in medium to high ManPADS threat airspace in support of OCO. Emphasis is on threats, aircraft and system approaches that are not covered by existing programs of record including but not limited to: innovative threat warning, advanced pyrophoric decoys, miniature high reliability lasers, magnetically steered high reliability pointer-trackers, higher powered and higher duty cycle lasers, preemptive countermeasures systems. Tasks leading to a rapid technology transition to be completed in FY 2013: Begin efforts to evaluate the signatures of air platforms that are threatened by new classes of surface-to-air threats. Efforts will include using new instrumentation in conjunction with tests that are planned for other purposes (tag-along testing) to measure relevant signatures of platforms in order to develop defensive strategies. Additionally, FY 2013 efforts include investigation of rapidly deployable technologies that could be used to help counter emerging threats. 3. Disruptive Technology Defeat and Utilization This effort involves emerging and disruptive technologies analysis and rapid prototyping of technologies required to adapt counter-terrorism techniques to threats in OCO. Primary payoff is an assessment of current system capabilities and limitations against the threat and capture of baseline system performance against the threat set for developing technologies. Joint Electronic Advanced Technology (JEAT) will demonstrate rapid prototyping of technologies required to combat adaptive threats. Emphasis will be on demonstrating an end-to-end kill chain and techniques which minimize or eliminate collateral damage. Starting in FY 2011 the efforts of this mostly-government team included novel techniques to detect and locate the signatures of terrorist activities using electronic means. Trident Spectre provides a venue for various members of Special Forces, Conventional Forces and Intelligence Community to collaborate on and evaluate technologies and techniques related to “Tactical Intelligence” in a technical, operational, and safe environment. Trident Spectre provides an opportunity for capability developers (scientists, engineers, designers) to interact directly with tactical operators, collectors and analysts; and a process that correctly and efficiently reviews potential tactical Intelligence technologies and techniques that will enhance the operational capability of the DoD activities in OCO. Primary payoff is improved connectivity and more efficient collection and dissemination of Tactical Intelligence. Customers include US Central Command (CENTCOM), US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research & Engineering (ASD (R&E)), DoD Conventional/Special Forces, and members of the Intelligence Community. Products include an after action report and a transition plan moving management activities to SOCOM.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2013
- Source ID
- P619_0603618D8Z_3_0400_PB_2013
Related Documents
- Root: Joint Electronic Advanced Technology
- Child Accomplishment: Integrated Situational Awareness and Countermeasures
- Child Accomplishment: Low Cost/Near Term Counter Asymmetric Systems
- Child Accomplishment: Disruptive Technology Defeat and Utilization