Air Force Special Warfare (SPECWAR)

Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Weapon System executes precision strike, integration, and all-domain command and control missions to meet Air Force power projection for the joint force's expanded maneuver. They do this by providing joint force air component commanders with a highly trained force that operates at the tactical edge in highly contested environments and complicates enemy decision-making processes. TACP Airmen plan, request, advise, and control joint fires and air power to meet multinational operations and supported Combatant commander's objectives. The purpose of Tactical Air Control Party - Modernization (TACP-M) programs are to provide TACPs with modernized voice, data, and video communications, including diverse waveforms and software, advanced targeting equipment, and enhanced battlefield awareness/management capabilities across all domains. Improved targeting and data communications capabilities improve kill chain timelines, defeat adversary systems through opening and closing kill webs, extended critical networks to the forward edge, and when required reduce the probability of fratricide or collateral damage. TACP-M programs address frequent TACP combat deployments that sometimes lead users to change equipment procurement requirements to support urgent operational needs and respond to evolving threat environments. TACP-M programs jointly develop and procure software, hardware and test assets with other AFSPECWAR programs to consolidate requirements that are common across the AFSPECWAR enterprise. This teaming arrangement helps standardize equipment, improve efficiency by consolidating acquisition efforts, enabling a common baseline, and reducing overall costs.

Special Tactics (ST)/Combat Control (ST/CC) is a human-based weapon system, comprised of both human and equipment capabilities formulated to provide the Air Force and Joint Force with support across the following missions: Global Access, Precision Strike, and PR; with additional focus on EMSO, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Ground-based Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). ST is employed by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) across two distinct operator specialties: Combat Control, and Special Reconnaissance. Special Warfare Acquisition, Growth and Refresh (SWAGR) is the program of record to develop, integrate, test, procure and field the latest technology and equipment across a wide range of capabilities to ensure AFSPECWAR ST operators can achieve the mission sets outlined above. Specifically, SWAGR delivers modernized capability in the areas of body-worn hardware/software, tactical communications, ground mobility, small UAS, visual augmentation, maritime, special reconnaissance, technical recovery, and assault zones. FY2027 Funding will provide for continued software development and modernization of the body-worn kit to enhance situational awareness, communication, information management, and airpower integration for ST operators in the battlespace. These enhancements will improve the ability recognize, identify, range, nominate, and designate targets during both day and night operations. Improvements will also significantly reduce the time required to find, track, fix targets, and engage the enemy by attacking adversary signals of interest, providing highly accurate target grid coordinates in three dimensions, generating target imagery both pre- and post-strike, and transmitting target data to C2 centers. Funding will also provide for the development and test of emerging technology, and the integration of the latest mature technology into the ST weapon system to conduct mission essential tasks. Items requested in FY2027 as identified in this Exhibit are representative but not limited to the items to be developed. Items developed during execution may change based on critical equipment needed to support current Air Force mission requirements.

Guardian Angel (GA) is a Family of Systems (FoS) based in both human and equipment capabilities formulated to execute Air Force Personnel Recovery (PR) across the full spectrum of military operations. The GA FoS is employed by three distinct Air Force specialties: Pararescue men (PJ), Combat Rescue Officer (CRO), and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) and is comprised of nine critical mission areas: Precision Aerial Insertion, Information Management, Force Application, Visual Augmentation, Maritime Recovery, Ground Mobility, Technical Rescue, Medical, and SERE. In order to stay aligned with with the Department of War Focus Area Command and Control (C2), logistics mobility (land/water), FY2027 funding will be used to obtain significant improvements in operational capability and develop items within the GA FoS to include but not limited to: Maritime Recovery (open ocean boat ), Ground Mobility, Technical Recovery, Precision Aerial Insertion (cargo & personnel parachutes), Medical (Simulators), Information Management, SERE, Visual Augmentation (night vision, augmented reality) and Force Protection. The GA weapon system development/Innovation activities also include studies, analysis, requirements development and developmental testing to support both current and future program planning and execution, quick-reaction capability prototypes/demonstrations to accelerate planning for technology transition, technology insertion and future acquisition programs. Funding will deliver enhanced capability for the dismounted GA Operators in terms of dramatic weight reduction, standardization of items across units, and increased mission effectiveness across the conflict spectrum. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.

a. The Joint Terminal Control Training and Rehearsal (JTC TRS) Program, under the Tactical Airborne Control System, funds development necessary to provide a Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) capable, high-fidelity simulator for Special Warfare airmen, to include TACP, ST/CCT, Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) operations and ASOC operations. JTC TRS is essential to provide initial training, mission qualification training, continuation training, and currency control requirements to JTACs and Special Tactics personnel. JTAC control training requirements exceed the ability of live-fly aircraft to meet, and JTC TRS is the only capability enabling JTACs to achieve and maintain minimum required training for both qualification and proficiency in accordance with the U.S and Partner Nation Memorandum of Agreement for JTAC certification and qualification. The JTC TRS Program provides research and development to facilitate interoperability with joint and sister Service air-ground simulation using industry standards. JTC TRS will provide the capability to network aircrew full mission trainers and training centers in a live-virtual-constructive network. This development effort will also integrate ASOCs with the Joint Theater Air Ground Simulation System (JTAGSS) trainer for Joint Fires integration. The simulator will supplement live field training and live-fly sorties to provide realistic introductory, proficiency, currency, and upgrade training in a simulated battlefield, disaster, or humanitarian relief environment. b. JTAGSS is a continuation of the ASOC simulation trainer initially funded in 2009 and complements the JTC TRS trainer by providing a total air-ground constructive simulation environment for integrated networked training and mission rehearsal capability that will develop TACP/CCT/JTAC and ASOC/Special Operations Forces (SOF) C2 battle staff skills. JTAGSS will provide the ASOC, SOF, and TACP with the vertical and horizontal C2 communications and coordination training and mission rehearsal required for mission effectiveness. There are insufficient exercises and live training events available to meet mandated readiness requirements.