Aircraft Survivability Development

The ITDS is Army Aviation's premier threat warning system that protects Army aircraft in the full range of military operations from border security to Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). The ITDS offers superior aircraft protection against Air Defense (AD) threat systems and a multi-functional sensor and open systems architecture for advanced situational awareness and data enabled formations through Command-and-Control data layer integration. The ITDS will detect, classify, declare, and cue countermeasures against Group I - IV Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs), Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs), Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), Air to Air missiles (AAM), Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA), laser guided weapons, and small arms. The system will provide up to 5x greater sensitivity and 15x greater resolution improvement over currently fielded systems. Coupled with advanced algorithms, this capability enables freedom of maneuver on the modern UAS contested battlefield. ITDS supports mission intel by providing "Event Recreation Data" to Command and Control systems, which will inform the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) on adversarial weapon capabilities in the Area of Responsibility (AOR) to operate effectively and maintaining military advantage. When Army aviation platforms equipped with Missile Warning Systems get engaged by threats, that engagement is recorded and saved on the removable data module (RDM). The data collected includes Threat Track Data and other ancillary data which replicates the system state at the time of the engagement. Some of the key data that supports mission intel are the Threat Type and Point of Origin. ITDS records this data while instantly providing this information to command and control systems for mission support. Existing A-Kits will be utilized by the ITDS to the maximum extent to enable the integration of innovative solutions and technologies. Justification: ITDS: FY 2027 RDTE dollars will fund design and demonstration testing, prototype application hosting, sensor characterization and flight test, digital simulation modelling assessments, aircraft integration, reliability, manufacturing, technical readiness assessments, training development, and data products such as operators and maintenance technical manuals.

ER7: Aircraft Survivability Development. The objective of the Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) Development project is to improve Radio Frequency (RF) ASE for Army Aviation. AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) detects, categorizes, and prioritizes RF emitters and provides a visual / aural alert to aircrew members warning them of targeting by RF-guided weapons. AN/APR-39D(V)2 interim RWR Modernization significantly improves the RF threat coverage, automatic detection and identification of threat types to include bearing and lethality. AN/APR-39E(V)2, Modernized Radar Warning Receiver (MRWR), is an Army Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) to AN/APR-39D(V)2 and is approved in the Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) signed June 24, 2019. This ECP enhances hardware and software upgrades to keep AN/APR-39 technically relevant against new and emerging agile threats faced by legacy platforms in a near peer contest. AN/APR-39E(V)2 is part of the suite of ASE mission equipment for the Enduring Fleet and Multi-Mission Vertical Takeoff (MV)-75 Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Radio Frequency Countermeasures (RFCM) focuses on detecting and jamming incoming RF signals. RFCM will provide aircraft with an extra level of security against RF threats to include Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)/Drone technology. ASE is developing RFCM capability for selected aircraft with a Material Development Decision (MDD) planned in the future. Justification: FY 2027 RDT&E dollars will fund AN/APR-39E(V)2 Hardware and Software System Development, UH-60 A-Kit NRE, and Systems Engineering and Program Management (SEPM).

The CMWS program is the legacy missile warning system that cues both flare and laser-based countermeasures to defeat incoming Infrared (IR)-seeking missiles and will alert aircrews to the presence of certain incoming munitions. CMWS provides protection to aircraft and aircrews against proliferated IR guided missile threats and will remain in the Army inventory until replaced. The B-Kit consists of the components which perform the missile detection and aircrew notification, munitions detection and aircrew notification, false alarm rejection, and countermeasure employment/cueing functions of the system. The CMWS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) receives ultraviolet (UV) missile detection data from Electro-Optic Missile Sensors (EOMS), which detect UV signals, and sends a missile alert signal to warn aircrews via on-board avionics. Tier 1 threat missiles detected and tracked by CMWS are subsequently defeated by a combination of missile seeker countermeasures, including decoy flares and Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM). In addition, CMWS ECU receives hostile fire detection data from the EOMS which passes to the aircrew through aural and visual alerts. The aircrew then applies the appropriate Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) to break contact or engage the enemy with own-ship ordnance. The A-Kit for CMWS includes mounting hardware, wiring harnesses, cables, and other components necessary to install and interface the mission kit on host aircraft. The A-Kit ensures the mission kit is functionally and physically operational with a specific host aircraft type. Justification: CMWS: FY 2027 RDTE dollars will fund future sensor algorithm analysis, threat and vulnerability analysis, software concurrency, Systems Engineering and Program Management (SEPM), A-kit compatibility assessments and future missile warning modernization initiatives to maximize the effective use of resources by delivering capabilities that offer best value.