Bottom Line Up Front

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1 The Changing Air-Ground Tactical Data Link Environment Small Link 16 Terminals are Changing Air Support New Classes of User Terminals Changing Air Support Operations Pete Camana and Mike Kocin Advanced Systems ViaSat

2 Bottom Line Up Front» Smaller Link 16 terminals are proliferating to satisfy user information needs in smaller platforms or dismounted» These users are operating closer to the ground/surface and in today s battlefields are involved in Air-to-Ground Operations (OPs) Proliferation of Link 16 is changing how many of the Missions are performed But the users must still interoperate with existing systems» Close Air Support success has two critical components Deliver the right weapons onto the right target at the right time Avoid Fratricide and collateral damage» Link 16 is helping to make this possible in a different way 2

3 C2/SA Centric TADIL-J Link 16 Network» Theater-wide Coverage of Situation Awareness (SA) and Command and Control (C2) C2 Aircraft/Ships and Sensor Sources distributing SA and C2 across the Battlespace Multitude of Sensor Information Correlated/Managed by C2 Platforms Precise Participant Location and ID updates to know where all the friendlies are» High Importance of Fighter-to-Fighter (F-F) Target Sorting/Sharing Link 16 Network Very Effective in the all Digital Air Battle 3

4 Air-to-Air is Well Scripted» All Locations are relative and Link 16 transferred Geo-referenced only if there is an earth fixed user» Threats, Targets, Friendly Positions all in the same coordinates F-15C MPCD with Link 16» Fighters share system targeting and tracking data» All know where the targets, friendlies and threats are» All know Fighter Capability from Status Messages» All know who is targeted on what by monitoring Fighter-to-Fighter Link 16 Well Practiced 4

5 Air-to-Ground Battle Has Been Different» Dominated by Voice Command and Control Ground or Airborne Forward Air Controller Selected Target Called Forward Air Controller (FAC), Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), Joint Tactical Attack Controller (JTAC) Confirmed target with Senior Authorities Collected Information on Weapons and Status from Possible Aircraft that could support Mission Coordinated Target to Aircraft Pilot by description/location Often Describing Controllers position and Target relative As seen/described from the Controller point of view Interaction to be assured Pilot targeting the same as Controller Transferring knowledge to Pilot s point of view from above Hear it on the web: Many Instances of Missions not Successful 5

6 Big Thrust to Digitally Aided CAS» US DoD J6 Deputy Directorate for Command and Control Integration Joint Fires Division took on this Task Standardize the Applications of Variable Message Format (VMF) MIL-STD-6017 Standardize the Modem functions across MIL-STD Control the 9-Line Targeting message» Mixture of Voice confirmation and digital data Transfer» Translation of UTM Coordinates to Lat/Long used in A/C» For a video example go to: Saves Writing 6

7 New Equipment is Merging Approaches» Gateways to support Digitally Aided CAS have been deployed for years to Support Digital Translations USAF Air Support Operations Center (ASOC) Gateway provides translation to Link 16, Situation Awareness Data Link and VMF» Battlefield Awareness Communications Node (BACN) and other Airborne gateways have provided the needed translations» But with small terminals, Gateways are now deployed across the Battlespace USAF Tactical Air Control Party Transportable Gateway (TTG) is being procured SOCOM Move Out and Jump Off/Tactical Radio Application extension (MOJO/TRAX) is deployed BACN ASOC Gateway MOJO MOJO Mini TIGR Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) Air Support Operations Center Move-Out and Jump-Off Move-Out and Jump-Off Tactical Ground Reporting System 7 Getting the Translation Close to the Fight

8 New Way To Do Digitally Aided CAS» SOCOM JTACs are experimenting with doing CAS the way fighters do A-to-A» SOCOM Field Computers and Terminals provide information for Link 16 Messages directly Or via a translator from Cursor-on-Target (CoT) Friendly Location Information in PPLI format (Digital Smoke) Target Locations are not in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) but in Latitude and Longitude to Link 16 resolution Display Fighter Status, position and Targeting to assure exact agreement on Target» Fighter sees targets and Friendlies on display Automatic transfer of coordinates and transmission of Targeting location 8

9 Testing Results» The new CAS CONOPS has been tested on multiple occasions in Exercises» No major Aircraft Mission Computer issues identified across multiple US platforms» Timelines for CAS Attack have been reduced from minutes to 10s of seconds» Pilots and JTACs report high levels of satisfaction with the process 9

10 USAF JTAC Video 10 YouTube Video -

11 Summary» Many people have talked about the new users that are coming onto Link 16 with the advent of small Link 16 terminals Small ISR Platforms Helicopters Mobile Ground vehicles Dismounted Controllers» But a Key point is that this expansion of Link 16 uses is opening up new ways to fight the battles of the future Transformation of the JTAC Close Air Support process is just the beginning 11