integrated air electronic warfare...

Integrated Air Electronic Warfare Ranges

EW Asia,

Kuala Lumpur, March 2014

© Copyright Selex ES.

All rights reserved

Wynne Davies

Head of Strategic EW Campaigns

Selex ES

3 Alpha Court, Kingsley Road,

Lincoln, LN6 3TA, United Kingdom

[email protected]

EW Ranges - Overview

An “EW Range” means different things to different people

The size, the facilities, and the capabilities, all affect the types of use to which it can be put.

Ranges can be large:

Ranges can be small:

But they all share certain characteristics:

Remoteness

Infrastructure - roads, utilities, buildings

Command Networks & Range Management

Threat System Array

Concepts of Operations and Employment

The intended use drives the design and selection of the Range’s facilities

© Copyright Selex ES. All rights reserved

Uses of an Integrated EW Range

Training

EW System Familiarisation

Threat Avoidance Training / Countermeasures Manoeuvring

Force Preparation, Pre-Exercise and Pre-deployment Training

Specific Mission Rehearsal

Land EW & Land-Air Integration

Development of Concepts and Doctrine

Countermeasures Development

Separate laboratory requirements …

Testing & Evaluation

Hardware

Software & mission data files confirmation / validation

Crews’ abilities


Simulator: A device that generates test conditions approximating actual or

operational conditions. Emitters with no associated receiver that can be used to modify the transmitted output (“Dumb” Transmitters)

Stimulator: A device used to rouse to activity or heightened action, as by

spurring or goading.

Emulator: An accurate imitation: systems which transmit and receive –

they can modify their transmissions in the light of EW system responses and their receiver characteristics can be ‘tuned’ as required

Real Systems: Well, real systems …

Threat System Options


Threat Simulator / Stimulator Systems

Advantages Disadvantages

Relatively affordable and available. High threat density through relatively low cost

No autonomous search.

Some are very portable or mobile. No reaction to any countermeasures.

Reliable: use of modern electronics. Lower power; in which case,EW receivers triggered at unrealistically low ranges.

Reduced requirement for personnel training.

No OT&E capabilities or potential

If optically directed, lose capability in poor weather or dusty conditions.

Simulators/Stimulators


Emulators


Threat Emulator Systems


Radar threat emulators track a radar return.

Rarely able to search autonomously.

React appropriately to expendables or manoeuvres.

Unrealistic co-location of multiple emitters.

Flexible – a different threat from one exercise to the next

Maintenance difficulties with older systems; expensive and time-consuming.

Commonly air-transportable Older systems commonly not mobile.

Reprogrammable to emulate threat updates.

Receiver and transmitter chain characteristics not always accurate or available to user.

Some available as wideband, multi-threat emulators.

Wideband variants have lower power levels than the real emitters

Less costly to maintain High initial costs.

Better training-value than simulators. Many lack visual precision

Potential for manufacturer’s upgrades Requires detailed threat system data

More mobile than some real (older) threats.

Some OT&E capabilities or potential if good intelligence

Can be remotely-controlled

Fewer personnel (than required for real threats).

Real Threat Systems

Real Threat Systems


Allows “Fight as you Train” Limited threat density.

High Fidelity – but version is ‘frozen’.

Upgrades not normally available for adversary systems

Representative ECCM / EPM Is it the ‘right’ version? Frequently, only a limited technology exportable version is available.

Low prices for older systems. Newer adversary systems not always available on open market

All types of users can benefit: aircrew, engineers, and EW specialists.

Difficult to ensure the levels of proficiency and the procedures

Same ergonomic difficulties as adversary.

Some general Health and Safety concerns.

High OT&E potential – if the right version

Movement can be difficult.

Inflexible & expensive to maintain.

Dirty RF signals which cannot be accommodated by peacetime frequency management.


Command and Control Systems

Voice communication to all range system operators

Air-band communications to all airborne users

Communications with adjacent ATC

High fidelity meteorological data

Real-time data-links:

From (instrumented) threats

From participating aircraft

Aircraft position (etc) in 3-D space

EW system state and switch selections

For Air-to-Air, we need AI Radar and A-A missile states

Wonderwall displays

Simulation of missile fly-out and miss-distance calculation

Visitor observation facilities

Crews debrief

VIP briefings

Post-Mission distribution of debrief materials


Infrastructure

The range is likely to be remote …

Command and Control infrastructure

Ground Truth

Instrumentation for effectiveness measurement

Cueing of threats – why waste time searching to re-acquire?

Threat display recording

Data-merging

Offices, Catering, Workshops & Utilities

Security & Safety

Physical

IT

National Security provisions

Over-flights

Roads

Aircraft handling facilities


EW Range Capability Staircase


Conduct basic checks of ESM (RWR) PFM in non-operational environment

Conduct basic EW Recognition Training (“Ring the Bell”) over a small area


Wide-Band

Stimulator Range

RF and EO

Narrow-Band

Emulator Range

+ EO Stimulators






Verify ECM PFM build (Is it reacting as designed?)

Verify ESM (RWR) PFM build (Does it detect as designed?)Wide-Band

Stimulator Range

RF and EO







Verify ESM (RWR) PFM build (Does it detect as designed?)Wide-Band

Stimulator Range

RF and EO

Narrow-Band

Emulator Range

+ EO Stimulators

Narrow-Band

Emulators + EO Stims

+ Real Threats + TSPI

Fully analyse PFM against real systems at operationally-realistic ranges

Validate ECM PFM (Does the System output have an operationally-useful effect?)

Develop operational tactics against real systems, and train in applying them

Conduct ISR-Cueing training(Sensor Fusion)

Wide-Band

Stimulator Range

RF and EO




Conduct and analyse A-A EW engagements

+ Airborne TSPI




Fully analyse PFM against real systems at operationally-realistic ranges

Validate ECM PFM (Does the System output have an operationally-useful effect?)

Develop operational tactics against real systems, and train in applying them

Conduct ISR-Cueing training(Sensor Fusion)

Narrow-Band

Emulators + EO Stims

+ Real Threats + TSPI

Narrow-Band

Emulator Range

+ EO Stimulators

Verify ESM (RWR) PFM build (Does it detect as designed?)

Summary

An EW Range can be anything the Operating Authority requires it to be

All it takes is vision, determination, faith, space, and money …

The best designs:

Take account of the long-term needs of the Users

Integrate any evolving Users’ needs throughout its life

Maximise the value of information (data) generated

Offer multiple benefits to multiple agencies

It can start off ‘small’, but with the design architecture to develop and evolve capability over an extended period

The fundamental decision is the choice of emitter type - and the solution provider.


Integrated Air Electronic Warfare Ranges

EW Asia,

Kuala Lumpur, March 2014

© Copyright Selex ES.

All rights reserved

Wynne Davies

Head of Strategic EW Campaigns

Selex ES

3 Alpha Court, Kingsley Road,

Lincoln, LN6 3TA, United Kingdom

[email protected]

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