RE: Israeli Jam Session (UAV-based Electronic Attack)

PRESS RELEASE

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Office of Naval Research to develop and demonstrate a signals intelligence (SIGINT) payload for use on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under the Warfighter's Tactical SIGINT Resource (WTSR) program.

 
"In today's battlespace environment, persistent surveillance is key," said Fred Bean, WTSR program manager. "Tactical units must rapidly and reliably use sensor networks to track potential targets; collect, send and receive actionable intelligence; and automatically receive warning of impending dangers. The WTSR program is aimed at providing expeditionary forces with that kind of enhanced battlespace awareness. We look forward to providing our expeditionary fighting forces with the right data and the right amount data at the right time.

"Tactical units at the lowest echelon currently receive little to no intelligence of value because they have very few -- if any -- ISR assets under their direct control. The WTSR program will help to overcome that problem as well as a number of other key limitations associated with conventional sensor technology," he said.

The Navy's objective is to provide small unit tactical forces with the sensing and tracking capabilities needed to conduct warfare against an asymmetric threat. The program focuses on developing significant technological advances in three key areas: sensors; tags and taggants; and network communications that integrate unmanned vehicles and unattended ground sensors into the net-centric battlefield.

Under the three-year, $5.2 million contract, Northrop Grumman will first develop a low-cost, lightweight, plug-and-play SIGINT sensor package that requires minimal power. The sensor will be equipped with flight-tunable receivers that enable rapid re-tasking of the SIGINT payload during flight operations. Once developed, Northrop Grumman will conduct a Tier II/Class II tactical UAV flight demonstration of the SIGINT payload at an operational altitude of 3,000 feet. The WTSR contract was awarded by the Office of Naval Research's Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare & Combating Terrorism department as part of the FORCEnet Science & Technology - GWOT Focused Tactical Persistent Surveillance program.

Northrop Grumman will lead the effort from its Ft. Wayne, Ind. facility and is teamed with Swift Engineering, Inc., San Clemente, Calif. Other Northrop Grumman work on the program will be accomplished in Sacramento, Calif., and in Cincinnati.

NOTE:  The WTSR payload is based on the Xetron XR2000.

Lasers can destroy enemy missles, UAVs

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/navy_aircraftprotection_071108w/
 
A defense contractor announced July 8 that it has successfully tested a weapons system that it says could protect aircraft operating from military and civilian airfields, as well as Navy ships and other infrastructure, from “a broad range of threats,” including shoulder-fired surface to air missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

General Dynamics’ ground-based Counter Man-Portable Airspace Protection System uses a system of sensors, an autonomous data integration center, and high powered lasers to track and destroy surface to air missiles and small unmanned aerial vehicles by targeting “critical aircraft components”...

Lasers can destroy enemy missles, UAVs

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/navy_aircraftprotection_071108w/
 
A defense contractor announced July 8 that it has successfully tested a weapons system that it says could protect aircraft operating from military and civilian airfields, as well as Navy ships and other infrastructure, from “a broad range of threats,” including shoulder-fired surface to air missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

General Dynamics’ ground-based Counter Man-Portable Airspace Protection System uses a system of sensors, an autonomous data integration center, and high powered lasers to track and destroy surface to air missiles and small unmanned aerial vehicles by targeting “critical aircraft components”.

...

Electronic Warfare Plays Critical Role in Columbian Hostage Rescue

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070803243.html?nav=rss_nation/special

BOGOTA, Colombia, July 8 -- For months before a group of disguised Colombian soldiers carried out a daring rescue of three American citizens and a prominent Colombian politician from a guerrilla camp, a team of U.S. Special Forces joined elite Colombian troops tracking the hostages across formidable jungle terrain in the country's southern fringes.

The U.S. team was supported by a vast intelligence-gathering operation based in the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, far to the north. There, a special 100-person unit made up of Special Forces planners, hostage negotiators and intelligence analysts worked to keep track of the hostages. They also awaited the moment when they would spring into action to help Colombian forces carry out a rescue.

That moment came in June after a Colombian army major hatched an unconventional plan. Further developed by Colombian intelligence agents, the plan abandoned the idea of a military raid and relied instead on tricking a rebel group notorious for killing hostages into simply handing over 15 of their most prominent captives.

...

The complex operation included infiltrators in the FARC's highest echelons, a team of Colombian commandos playing the parts of relief workers and guerrillas, and an elaborate scheme to intervene in the rebels' radio communications network. The sting was directed at the leaders of guerrilla units who were responsible for moving hostages through the jungle but who communicated infrequently with the FARC's seven-man directorate.

Brownfield explained to Cheney, Rice and the others how Colombian officials would ensure that a fake radio message -- purportedly from the unit headed by the FARC's supreme leader, Alfonso Cano -- would be sent to the guards. The order would be to prepare the hostages to be picked up by a relief agency and then flown by helicopter to the rebel high command...

Air Force prepares to restart B-52 jammer programme

Good summary of B-52 CCJ program at http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/07/07/225111/air-force-prepares-to-restart-b-52-jammer-programme.html.  Excerpts follow:

...

If the core component jammer (CCJ) wins approval from senior USAF leaders in the programme objective memorandum and then eventually gets congressional backing, a demonstration of the technology could take place by fiscal year 2012, says Col Bob Schwarze, the air force's chief of EW and cyber warfare requirements...

Stand-off jamming is aimed at the enemy's low-band, early-warning radars. It enables attack jets and other aircraft to enter that airspace undetected and take out surface-to-air missiles sites and other threats...

Theatre Air Campaign

If equipped with the stand-off jamming capability, the EB-52 would be integrated into a theatre air campaign along with other first-strike aircraft, such as the stealthy fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor. EW capability would enable the Stratofortress to launch kinetic strikes with cruise missiles or GPS-guided smart bombs while engaging in offensive airborne electronic attack...

Value and Merit

...

The B-52 jammer upgrade is just one of many air force EW modernisation projects. Last year the USAF stood up a new management group to oversee all its aircraft EW upgrades while trying to streamline the upgrade process between different programme offices to keep costs down...

But apart from some "breadboards" at the Air Force Research Laboratory, most of the CCJ concept remains solely on paper and no components have been flown or tested on a range. Officials envisage the wing pod being about 12m (40ft) long and weighing 2,270kg (5,000lb), similar to external fuel tanks. "We are looking at the technical maturation of that type of capability," says Schwarze...

The service plans to continue its AEA-related development in 2009 and air force officials have requested just over $34 million in research and development for the CCJ effort. Congress has yet to approve the Pentagon's budget, however.

Among the efforts under way is the development of four separate "critical technologies" that will play a key role in giving the B-52 a stand-off jamming capability. These include low-band, high-power transmitting phased arrays, mid-band high-power transmitting phased arrays, advanced exciters and aircraft integration systems engineering.

Programme's Fate

After an expected FY2012 demonstration, air force leaders must then decide the programme's fate. A platform could be fielded as early as 2015 or 2016, says Schwarze...

In late May, Northrop said it had demonstrated - through an AFRL-funded study - that airborne electronic jammer aircraft were more effective and efficient when networked and enhanced by decision aids...

The study appears to validate the objectives of the 2005-cancelled Joint Unmanned Combat Air System programme, which was a joint air force and navy effort.

The 2005 Quadrennial Defence Review - a Pentagon requirements document updated every five years - directed the air force to terminate work on its portion of that programme and begin developing a new long-range bomber, which the service wants to field by 2018.

A final decision on whether the air force receives approval to allocate the funding in its internal spending plan is expected later this year. But funding levels and requirements could change when a new US president takes up office in January 2009.

Cyberspace career fields, training paths, badge proposed

Air Force officials recently proposed a plan to develop its enlisted and officer corps into Airmen who specialize in establishing, controlling and fighting in the cyberspace domain.

That's according to Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, the Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) commander who referenced AFCYBER's force development intent during a recent cyberspace symposium in Marlborough, Mass.

"We've created a roadmap that outlines our efforts to establish cyberspace operators, specialists, analysts and developers who grow from a basic understanding of cyberspace doctrine to experts in their respective fields," he said. "Along with outlining specific career fields that can be used throughout our Air Force, we also looked at how we can deliberately manage their career to grow cyberspace warriors, leaders and future visionaries."

Cyber warriors will be identified as operators -- officer and enlisted members who plan, direct and execute offensive and defensive actions; specialists -- enlisted communications and information personnel who specialize in technical aspects of cyberspace; analysts -- officer and enlisted intelligence personnel with the technical foundations to support cyberspace operations; and developers -- primarily officers and enlisted with advanced skills for designing and modifying software and hardware packages.

This roadmap provides details about cyberspace operators and specialists. Particulars for analysts and developers are expected to be outlined later this year. These changes will affect approximately 30,000 active-duty members and about 2,000 Guard and Reserve forces currently performing cyber-related duties.

Maj. Timothy Franz, the AFCYBER (Provisional) chief of force development, said numerous teams will be meeting throughout the coming year to fine tune the changes.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us still, but we know the direction we're headed," Major Franz said. "We're now working on an implementation plan that will define specific goals, objectives and tasks to make this vision a reality. Some of these tasks can be worked quickly and others will take a few more years."

Along with identifying career specialties, the roadmap also outlines education and training paths. Professional development for the approximately 30,000 civilians in cyberspace is still under review, but they will also be fully integrated into the implementation plan.

Cyberspace specialists
Members in the communications and information mission areas will transition to 15 new 1B Air Force specialty codes. This will require the phase out of the current 2E (communications-electronics), 3A (information management) and 3C (communications and computer systems) specialties.

All cyber enlisted members will start off with a 1B0 or 1B1 specialists skill set. As they enter their retraining window, a select few will have the opportunity to retrain into a 1B4 operator specialty. The 1B4s will possess new skills being developed to work on-net (1B4X1) and electronic (1B4X2) warfare missions. As cyberspace operators, they will attend additional cyber warfare training.

Cyberspace operators
Most officers will have technical, and possibly graduate-level technical degrees, but all will develop a breadth of knowledge and experience within cyberspace. The paths for officers will allow them to be technically proficient in many areas of cyberspace and, as they progress, develop a breadth of leadership skills required for senior leadership.

Current plans call for two new officer AFSCs: a 17D cyberspace warfare operator, which will require the phase out of the 33S (communications-computer) specialty; and a 12W electronic warfare officer, which will be a subset of today's 12X combat systems officer community.

Both the 17D and 12W AFSCs will be further developed under the oversight of a Cyberspace General Officer Steering Group with recommendations expected for later this year.

Cyberspace training
Cyberspace specific content is being added to the enlisted 2E, 3A and 3C basic technical (pipeline) courses. However, plans call for these courses to transition to the new AFSCs by 2010. This will be the first group affected by the implementation plan.

Along with new pipeline schools, more advanced training will be available through cyberspace 100/200/300/400 series of supplemental courses intended to focus on professional development throughout their careers. These courses will impart cyber-related knowledge, skills, and ability appropriate to an individuals' grade and experience, as well as provide exposure to aspects of the cyber warfare mission area which they may not have had experience. Cyber warriors will also attend formal training units that will be specific to their duty locations and missions.

In addition, there'll be "gap training" to transition existing communications and information personnel to their new cyberspace specialties. The gap training will be provided through a blended approach of computer-based training, targeted career development courses and mobile education teams as necessary. Specifics of courses and training content are yet determined.

Cyberspace badge
During the symposium, General Lord also revealed the proposed badge that will identify future cyber operators. The badge features lightning bolts to signify the cyberspace domain, center bolts taken from the navigator badge and the Air Force seal to signify cyberspace's worldwide power and reach and its common lineage and history of electronic warfare officers, and orbits to signify cyberspace's space-related mission elements. And, like other specialty badges, it will identify skill (certification) levels. Final approval and specifics of the wear criteria is under review at the Air staff.

<<080701-F-0000P-104[1].jpg>>

The way ahead
"Simply inserting new material about cyberspace power into current specialties will not suffice," General Lord said. "We must develop future leaders who understand how cyberspace operations integrate with conventional kinetic operations at all levels of command, with our sister services and throughout the Defense Department. Our teams of experts will spend the next few years further refining and developing what we've outlined in this roadmap. We all have a role in defending our cyberspace capabilities, but now we're on our way to having a specific cadre of professionals who'll help work to manage, deconflict, direct and integrate cyberspace operations."

1B enlisted specialists/operators
The enlisted force provides the technical depth needed to execute tactical missions. While the proposals call for the phase out of the 2E, 3A, 3C AFSCs, a review is also being done of the 1A3 (airborne mission systems) as cyberspace may use portions of this skill set as well.

For now, the proposed new specialties are:

1B0X1 -- knowledge operations: They will possess application and presentation networking skills necessary for content management, retrieval and presentation.

1B0X2 -- cyber systems operations: They will focus on servers, data storage, software applications, system technologies, protocols, standards and client interfaces.

1B0X3 -- cyber surety: They use information technology resources to monitor and evaluate policy and procedures to protect clients, networks, data and voice systems and databases from unauthorized activity.

1B0X4 -- computer programmer: They will develop and standardize tools and interfaces as well as possess the ability to transform raw data into actionable command and control information. They will also translate operational offensive and defensive requirements into program code to ensure freedom of maneuver in the cyberspace domain.

1B1X1 -- client systems specialist: They will integrate and sustain common client-level voice, data and video devices with a primary focus on end user devices.

1B1X2 -- cyber transport systems specialist: They will focus on sustainment of the network and telecommunication infrastructure, distribution media, cryptographic equipment, etc.

1B1X3 -- radio and frequency transmissions systems specialists: They understand space, radio and satellite systems technologies and configurations required to integrate and sustain airborne and terrestrial multimode, multiband radio frequency systems to include wireless voice, data and video systems.

1B1X4 -- cyber spectrum specialists: They engineer, nominate and assign frequencies to support communications requirements and coordinate frequency needs with federal, military and civil authorities.

1B1X5 -- radar systems specialists: They understand radar technology to support airfield, weather and early warning radar system missions. They will perform search, intercept, identification and location of sources radiating electromagnetic energy for purposes of threat recognition.

1B1X6 -- airfield systems specialist: They will understand meteorological, navigational and air traffic control radio, console and recorder technologies and will meet all national airspace system certification requirements.

1B1X7 -- cable and antenna systems specialist: They will link the base campus voice, data and video networks and focus primarily on external communications cables and radio frequency antenna systems.

1B1X8 -- control systems specialist: They monitor and control emergency and distribution management systems, and supervisory control and data acquisition systems.

1B1X9 -- mission systems specialist: They will perform cyberspace-related duties on airborne platforms and will primarily operate, maintain, repair and test airborne communications, sensor, computer and electronic systems.

1B4X1 -- on-net operations: These are network warfare operators who provide net attack, defense and exploit capabilities to disrupt, deny, degrade or destroy information or the delivery systems themselves. (Operators will retrain at the three- to five-year point.)

1B4X2 -- electronic warfare operations: They will integrate and sustain operations across the electromagnetic spectrum and will perform search, intercept, ID and location of sources for threat recognition and implement electronic protect and attack measures. (Operators will retrain at the three- to five-year point.)

Find links to story images at http://www.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123105049.

See original story at http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123105049.

Boeing Awarded B-52 Airborne Electronic Attack Technical Maturation Contract

BOEING NEWS RELEASE

ST. LOUIS, June 27, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $14.9 million contract by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to develop and mature technologies required to enable airborne electronic attack from long distances, filling the stand-off electronic attack role. The contract includes systems engineering studies focusing on potential pod installation on the B-52H aircraft, as the designated demonstration airframe. This effort will advance the technology required for the planned Core Component Jammer (CCJ).

"We look forward to maturing the planned CCJ technology, which will keep our warfighters safer as they complete missions in the air and on the ground," said Scot Oathout, director of B-52 Programs for Boeing. "This is the first step in getting this capability fielded, and the B-52H is the right platform to mature this technology."

The multi-mission B-52H is the only platform in the Air Force inventory that accommodates all necessary attributes for jamming electronic attacks while delivering its full complement of weapons, including responsiveness, range, loiter time, size and power.

"Adding this capability to the B-52H will strengthen its position as the most versatile aircraft in the U.S. inventory," said Jeff Weis, CCJ program manager for Boeing. "The B-52 will still be able to deliver precision weapons on target while protecting other allied forces in theater."

The Boeing-led team will employ the electronic-attack expertise of Bethpage, N.Y.-based Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. After successful completion of this initial three-year effort, a follow-on effort to demonstrate in-flight, stand-off jamming on the B-52 is scheduled for 2011-2012.

"Our decades of experience designing sophisticated airborne electronic attack systems tells us that the Boeing and Northrop Grumman team can develop a powerful, best-value jamming system for the Air Force with a minimum of risk," said Patricia McMahon, vice president and deputy, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Eastern Region. "The team is excited about delivering the results of our study to the Air Force."