distributed electronic warfare

Digital Domain Author: Puttre, Michael

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Full text: Senior Editor Brendan Rivers writes a story in this issue (see "USAF to Locate Enemy Using RWRs,"p.20) about how the US Air Force recently awarded Raytheon a contract to develop a networked passivegeolocation capability for the AN/ALR-69A(V) radar-warning receiver (RWR) that would be used for pinpointingthe locations of enemy radio-frequency (RF) emitters: "The contract, awarded by the USAF's Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (Robins AFB, GA) under theAdvanced Tactical Targeting Technology (AT3) program, calls for the development of the necessary softwarealgorithms and a Frequency and Time Module (FTM) that would provide this new capability to the all-digital,wideband ARL-69A(V) RWR - itself an upgrade of the ALR-69(V), which is currently installed on USAF F-16, A-10, C-130, and MH-53 aircraft. RWRs with these enhancements fitted onboard multiple aircraft could then sharetheir time and frequency measurements, along with GPS data, via datalink, to come up with a much moreprecise location of an enemy emitter. Because it is a completely digital, wideband system, the ALR-69A(V) canperform the necessary signal processing at sufficient speeds for such accurate and rapid geolocation." The geolocation data acquired and shared among other aircraft could then be used to target air-defense sitesand other emitter sources with GPS-aided precision-guided munitions that could be employed from other fighteraircraft in the area. The USAF is looking at equipping not just F-16s but a variety of aircraft with the AT3capability, in particular F-15s and A-10s. What's particularly interesting is that this capability would distribute theSEAD mission generally among front-line aircraft, rather than leaving it in entirely in the hands of specialistsquadrons and aircraft types, such as the F-16C/J. According to one source, the US Navy has also expressedinterest in providing AT3 for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. Although the Super Hornet is equipped with the ALR-67(V)3 RWR, that system is also being upgraded to an all-digital version, which would enable it to performAT3's geolocation measurements. This development dovetails nicely with electronic attack options reportedly under consideration by the US AirForce for its future F/A-22 Raptor and F-35 loint Strike Fighter (ISF) aircraft. Neither aircraft is due to receive aninternal RF jammer because their low-radar-cross-section designs and advanced BAE Systems AN/ALR-94RWRs (common to both) are intended to enable the aircraft to detect and avoid enemy air-defense sitespassively. So how will electronic attack be possible? Both the Raptor and the JSF are to receive active,electronically scanned phased-array (AESA) radar systems - The Northrop Grumman AN/APG-77 in the formerand the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 for the latter. With the right software, these all-digital radar emitters canbe used as spot jammers, directing pencil beams against "pop-up" threats. A similar role of an AESA radar isalready under consideration for the PS-05/A Mk5 NORA radar in development for Sweden's Gripen by Ericssonand Raytheon (see "Gripen Settles In," JED, August 2005, p. 49). In addition to its usual functions, the NORA -"Not Only Radar" - system will also perform passive electronic reconnaissance and active jamming of enemyradars within its operational frequency range (I-J bands). The advent of all-digital mission avionics is advancing the day where multiple discrete systems will no longer berequired for distinct functions. Emitters and receivers will be tuned to whatever function is required byapplication software. Moreover, as datalinks increase in bandwidth and networks increase in scope, many of theduties that are currently handled by specialists will be addressable by an expanding array of multimissionplatforms and crews. - Michael Puttre

distributed electronic warfare

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