SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT

An example of IAI Elta Systems’ ELM-2022ML, a lightweight X-band multimode airborne maritime surveillance . (Photo: IAI Elta Systems)

MISSION CONTROL Previously a niche sector, the adaptation of aircraft for special missions is now seen Might be a deadly threat. by OEMs as ripe with possibility, with opportunities across the low-end to high-end spectrum. By Beth Stevenson Ensure it’s detected. Rockwell Collins’ high probability of intercept (HPOI) solutions HPOI SOLUTIONS pecial mission operations are for these roles in an attempt to further shift is being made from the original provide spectral situational awareness and instantaneous threat trending as militaries realise the reduce costs for the operators. airliner-sized E-8C, with two of the three > Antennae, tuners and receivers S benefits of operating a low-cost contenders for the new programme detection when it matters most. Our IFMR-6070 instantaneous > Signal analysis and displays and readily available – or in some cases Replacement programme selecting business-jet-based radar systems. frequency measurement receiver, when combined with the PRISM- already acquired – aircraft carrying a One realisation of this has been the USAF’s A Northrop team is offering a > Integrated ELINT and ESM systems tailored sensor suite. Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Surveillance reconfigured Gulfstream G550 and a 6090 spectral monitor, provides you with a higher sensitivity sweep While the mission itself can vary from Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) Recap Lockheed Martin team a modified for the best solution to finding unknown signals fast. basic ISR to full-scale anti-submarine effort, which is seeking a replacement for Bombardier Global 6000. The only airliner warfare (ASW), the commonality from the Boeing 707-300-based system that being offered is from Boeing, which is Visit us at DSEI, stand S2-191. integrating these capabilities onto an entered service in 1991. understandably offering its own aircraft in already-developed aircraft is apparent. In The mission of the ground surveillance/ the form of the 737. parallel, there is a clear move towards battle management aircraft remains largely While reconfiguring an airliner could still smaller platforms and sensors being used the same in the Recap effort, although a appeal for special mission aircraft (SMA) rockwellcollins.com/ewsigint © 2017 Rockwell Collins. All rights reserved. 14 DIGITAL BATTLESPACE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 WWW.DIGITAL-BATTLESPACE.COM

DB-05-17_p14-22_Special_Mission_Aircraft.indd 14 8/18/2017 2:19:39 PM RC_EW ad_Shephard Dig Battlespace_205x273_Sept2017.indd.indd 1 7/19/17 7:41 AM SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT An ATR 72MP MPA, for which the Italian Navy is the launch customer. The service will eventually receive four in total. (Photo: Leonardo)

development – the international supply chain ‘The AEW market is quite steady, but it is Izhakian highlighted the success of the and the support these programmes have tend a relatively small market,’ Avishai Izhakian, Boeing P-8 Poseidon programme as to be robust – there is a clear move towards deputy general manager for marketing, evidence of this, although he highlighted integrating these capabilities onto even business development and sales at IAI’s Elta that the high-end capability of this aircraft smaller platforms with lower operating costs division, added. He said that a typical AEW is not necessarily what all customers need. and a smaller logistical footprint. programme will only cover an acquisition of ‘You also see a lot of contracts for the ‘Aircraft that are bigger than required some three to four aircraft, but this is likely low-end, turboprop solutions,’ he said, mean lower performance and higher to exceed a $1 billion price tag. noting that there are four to five different operating costs,’ Troy Miller, regional VP ‘However, if you look at the overall market, levels of MPA markets on the spectrum. for military and special missions sales at you only see a few contracts signed every year ‘Historically our main focus was the high- Gulfstream, told DB. in this area and the number of competitors is end, high-performance solutions, but we Regarding JSTARS Recap, Miller said relatively limited,’ he added. ‘There are four have expanded our presence in the market that an ability to reach high altitudes is to five competitors today in the market and over the last few years, offering the beneficial for ground surveillance missions there are only a few contracts per year, but [Bombardier] Q400 – which is a mid-tier as the range at which the sensors can see each contract is on a large scale.’ solution for MPA – and even the Beechcraft is optimised. He added that ISR missions He said that the principle developed King Air-based solution we are offering to are now requiring multiple capabilities on a for the CAEW system – ‘a very high- some of our customers,’ he said. single platform: ‘Because of the versatility performance solution on a ’ – In general, the King Air system primarily and available payload, programmes are is being rolled into other special mission serves the low- to mid-tier ISR markets, he under development that will have radar areas, most notably air-to-ground added, although the company is open- capability as well as SIGINT, COMINT and surveillance. ‘The fastest growing solution minded given its position as both a prime EO/IR capabilities. is air-to-ground. We released a solution contractor and third-party payload provider. ‘There is also a growing interest in about three years ago designated ELI-3150 ‘We are in a unique position in the maritime surveillance and several nations MARS2, which is a solution for the high end market because we have a wide range are interested in dual-role aircraft that of the market.’ of payloads in-house,’ he said. ‘Because can provide both executive airlift and He pointed out that 20 years ago the only we are providing both the [SMA] to the aeromedical evacuation capabilities.’ offering in this category was the JSTARS market as well as the payloads, we One such system that uses a baseline radar, which was not exported, so remained provide the package.’ Gulfstream G550 is IAI’s Conformal exclusive to the US. ‘Today, you see this sort Izhakian added that in addition to an Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft. of programme in several countries. Usually array of that can be offered by IAI, it ‘A number of different configurations are they are classified, so I cannot go into the can also offer line-of-sight communications successfully supporting worldwide details, but clearly for us the air-to-ground systems and self-protection suites for operations, but among them, our [CAEW] market is one of the main emerging SMA, as well as SATCOM in both Ka- and configuration is the most widely deployed,’ markets,’ he said. Ku-band. Miller explained. ‘In the SIGINT area, we have a relatively The first two of an order for four were Surging need low-weight and high-performance solution, delivered to the Italian Air Force in 2016, Another key special mission area is for which can be installed on [SMA] as well as with the final two deliveries due in 2017, maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), for which smaller platforms like UAVs,’ he added. making Rome the third operator of the type there has been a surge in requirements ‘Our solutions are adequate for the small after the Israeli Air Force and Republic of due to an increase in piracy and the need [SMA] – the Beechcraft type – to the Singapore Air Force. to protect commercial shipping routes. medium level like the [Airbus] C295,

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Q400 and other [Leonardo] ATR solutions, ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE up to the high-level solution of business jets, like the Gulfstream G550 or the [Bombardier] Global [family], or even in some cases the Boeing 737.’ The RAF’s Raytheon Sentinel R1, meanwhile, is a Bombardier Global Express- ARE YOU READY? derived SMA integrated with the Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR). ‘The aircraft is a [high-altitude] stand-off platform and what it provides is wide-area surveillance capability overlaid with ground moving target indicator [GMTI],’ Roland Howell, Raytheon’s UK head of airborne solutions, told DB. ‘Because of the nature of the platform – high flight on a business jet – and the size of the antenna, it is pretty much unique in terms of the wide-area surveillance benefit that it can provide.’ Howell claimed that the radar can cover Bird Aerosystems offers its Airborne Surveillance, Intelligence and Observation (ASIO) system, ‘huge areas’ of land, carrying out wide-area which configures a range of aircraft into special mission platforms. (Photo: Bird Aerosystems) surveillance using the synthetic aperture mode of the radar, which – combined with is some work to do in terms of being able to While both ASTOR and Sentinel are the GMTI element that can track smaller source some of those elements of the radar exclusive to the UK, the radar is part of a targets – allows operators to build a live at a card or line replaceable unit (LRU) family of similar systems that Raytheon picture of what is going on below. The level, and there is some obsolescence could offer to international customers, for radar processing is done on board and the redesign work going on now to effectively which it is eyeing opportunities. ‘We’re analysis can either be done on- or off- redesign in some areas and reproduce in working in the Middle East and North Africa board, he added. other areas to maintain the spares and region, where there are several opportunities repairs capability in order to maintain the which are at different stages of maturity, but Obsolescence issues aircraft out to 2021.’ there is definitely a demand in those regions A five-strong fleet was delivered by 2009, He said that this work is ongoing and will for ISR capability,’ Howell noted. but in June 2017 it was confirmed that be delivered to the fleet over the coming the capability had been reduced to four years. ‘In terms of going forward, we are ISR capability examples. A number of threatened working on a sustainment programme, Elsewhere, a version of L3 Communications’ cancellations to the programme has led to which again is about sustainment [as] King Air 350/350ER-derived SMA was the emergence of obsolescence within the opposed to introducing additional delivered as an UOR for the mission in JIM Compact: 2kg of unmatched capabilities radar due to a lack of capacity for long-term capability, and we’ll address a number of , under the USAF’s so-called Fully-integrated in a less than 2kg (4.4 lbs. including planning, and the current out-of-service obsolescence issues in terms of having the Project Liberty. The aircraft – designated battery) unit, JIM Compact meets the critical needs of date for the remaining aircraft is 2021. spares and repairs capability to take the MC-12W by the USAF – was delivered within today’s armies to perform the most demanding missions: A contract was signed in 2016 to cover aircraft beyond 2021 if needed.’ eight months of the order being placed and all-weather observation, engagement and precise target support of the fleet up to the out-of-service Work has been carried out in the lead-up a total of 37 aircraft were operated by the location. Incorporating new functionalities such as See- Spot capability, positive identifi cation in Low Light, photo/ date, which has allowed Raytheon to plan to this next stage, and Raytheon hopes that service at that time. video streaming and recording, JIM Compact o† ers the for some of the radar’s modifications. ‘We this will be contracted next year. ‘There was an urgent need for an best performance-to-weight ratio of any device in its class. signed a contract last year for support In 2014, it was announced that the UK immediate capability for ISR. They could When you need to maintain a clear head and unlimited safran-electronics-defense.com arrangements going out to 2021, and as a government was considering a maritime not generate enough,’ Joseph Siniscalchi, vision, you can count on Safran’s combat-proven optronics. : @SafranElecDef follow-on from that, there has been work on upgrade to the radar, and while this is senior VP of business development for some aspects of obsolescence redesign, ‘still very much an option’, it is yet to be aerospace systems at L3, told DB, adding particularly in terms of the back end of the contracted. ‘The decision was made not that the aircraft can carry sensors such as radar,’ Howell explained. ‘Recognising that to take that up at that time,’ Howell said. EO/IR, surveillance radar and SIGINT. some elements of the radar were ‘We’re still looking at the requirements in The US Army also acquired an developed some time ago, there are some terms of the obsolescence redesign activity L3-configured King Air 350 under obsolescence effects.’ that we expect to go on contract for, and it its Enhanced Medium Altitude This, he said, is due to the fact that some may or may not be included as part of that Reconnaissance and Surveillance System companies within the supply chain of the work, but it is not an identified capability effort, which took the same approach to original programme no longer exist. ‘There upgrade currently.’ fielding a quickly delivered ISR platform.

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DB-05-17_p14-22_Special_Mission_Aircraft.indd 18 8/18/2017 2:19:44 PM Safran_Visible_205x273.indd 1 24/06/16 13:30 SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT Still puzzling over The technology produced for Project With a 10h endurance, the ATR 72MP is swamped with different feeds of information. Liberty was later rolled into the company’s equipped with Leonardo’s Airborne Tactical To this end, Leonardo provides the ATOS Spydr offering, which is the product name Observation Surveillance (ATOS) mission capability, which is effectively a mission what‘s going on? it uses to refer to the King Air family of SMA. management system, as well as the management system that integrates all of A total of 60 Spydr examples are still company’s Seaspray active electronically the sensors and subsystems onboard into in service with a variety of customers, scanned array surveillance radar. one tactical picture. Get complete Siniscalchi noted. ‘The multirole intrinsic capabilities of the In 2016, it was delivered on board the In 2016, L3 introduced the Spydr II, ATR 72MP are the most innovative part of first two of the Italian Air Force’s new MPA/ another King Air variant that allows for our offer,’ Munhos de Campos said. ‘Before search and rescue-configured ATR 72-600/ situational different sensor configurations to be the ATR 72MP, the market was divided P-72A turboprops, which will be followed by swapped out using its Rapid Aircraft between MPA and ISR platforms. We have two more examples at some point this year. Visit us at DSEI 2017 Payload Deployment System (RPADS). ‘We combined the best of the two in a single ‘ATOS is used for various missions – September 12 to 15, 2017 tried to take [and insert] the technology platform and also added a strong C3I maritime surveillance up to more awareness. ExCeL, London, South Hall that we wished we could have done with component. The Italian Air Force’s aircraft complicated and sophisticated missions Booth S2-268 the Spydr into [Spydr] II,’ Siniscalchi noted. have some specific capabilities that make such as ELINT, COMINT and anti-submarine Rohde & Schwarz now offers a complete range of signal The RPADS allows the sensors to be them a very powerful MPA/ISR/C3I/ELINT warfare,’ Cristina Massarenti, international intelligence systems for the success of your mission. Our new swapped out within a number of hours, and asset, fully integrated with the Italian armed marketing for Leonardo Airborne and Space digital radar signal collection and analysis (ELINT) solution the company fully certified the 26 different forces command centres.’ Systems, told DB. now perfectly complements our sophisticated COMINT / CESM fitting locations with the US Federal Aviation The ATR 42MP, meanwhile, has been ATOS integrates all of the sensors and systems. Our complete turnkey solutions are modular, scalable, Administration in 2016. In addition to delivered to four customers, namely the subsystems, fusing different feeds together, customizable – and all from a single source. surveillance sensors, Spydr II can carry a Italian Coast Guard, Italian Guardia di providing operators with a tactical picture weapons load of some 68kg on each wing, Finanza, Libyan General Security Agency of what is happening below. An example www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/puzzle although any King Air model can carry a and Nigerian Navy. ‘Today we are working of this fusion could be the integration of a similar payload. on the Italian Guardia di Finanza and coast radar and AIS feed, which the system will L3 is still awaiting a launch customer for guard with new systems and sensors to identify as being the same target if the two Spydr II, but claims that Spydr I is also still keep them updated,’ Munhos de Campos streams of information correlate. an option should a customer require it, with said. ‘[As for] the market potential for the ‘The operator has a tactical picture the Middle East being one target market ATR 42MP, we think that having more range including all of the different pieces of for the latter. Siniscalchi said that US and internal space at the same operating information coming from the sensors, and customers are the target market for the cost make the ATR 72MP a more attractive potentially the management of all of them,’ second iteration of the SMA given the option for future customers.’ Massarenti said. higher-end sophistication of the capability. The sensors on board are of obvious ATOS is sensor-agnostic, she noted, importance, but the number of them found although there is a desire from some Turboprop derivatives on an SMA can mean that an operator is operators to acquire a full suite of One special mission offering that includes the manufacturer providing both the aircraft The Beechcraft King Air platform can serve the low- to mid-tier ISR markets and has seen success and sensors is Leonardo’s ATR 42MP/ATR with the USAF as part of its MC-12W Liberty programme. (Photo: USAF) 72MP family. Derived from the company’s regional turboprops, they are configured with a mission system, sensor suite and communications system, primarily targeted for MPA operations. An Italian Air Force ATR 72MP made the aircraft’s international debut at LIMA in Malaysia in March, which is a key market for the aircraft, Eduardo Munhos de Campos, head of international sales for Leonardo Aircraft, told DB. ‘We received very good feedback and we took the opportunity to present the system to several potential customers,’ he said. ‘The region is a priority market for our ATR 72MP, and we are promoting the aeroplane for several countries including Malaysia and the Philippines, where an RfI has been issued by the country authorities.’

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‘We see more new programmes than upgrades,’ Massarenti said, adding that leasing is also a ‘new and trending’ option. One such example is the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, which operates the DHC-8 aircraft configured with the surveillance information management – another name for ATOS – that is leased out by Cobham.

Integrating sensors A similar concept is offered by Bird Aerosystems through its Airborne Surveillance, Intelligence and Observation system, which configures a range of Internal work stations for IAI Elta Systems’ ELI-3150 MARS2, which is a solution for the high end of aircraft into special mission platforms for the SMA market. (Photo: IAI Elta Systems) maritime patrol, ground surveillance or border protection. It uses an open Leonardo sensors alongside the mission twin-engine pusher, while Leonardo is also architecture to integrate sensors including management system. ‘We try to collaborate looking to other platforms for integration of EO, surveillance radar, AIS, COMINT as much as possible with the Leonardo the lightweight version. and ELINT, and can be integrated on aircraft division,’ she said, pointing out that ‘We are now developing a new prototype turboprops, jet aircraft and rotorcraft. the ATR aircraft contain the ATOS system. and have an agreement with Oma Sud, ‘The type of aircraft is dependent on the ‘Of course, we try to maximise the work as which is going to provide the SkyCar [with type of mission and can be either a new much as possible.’ ATOS],’ Massarenti said. platform or an in-fleet platform,’ Shaul The amount of hardware installed ATOS has seen success on board the ATR Mazor, VP of marketing and business depends on the configuration. A maritime 42MP, having been delivered to some development, said. ‘In recent years, we have patrol-configured King Air, for example, years ago, and has been contracted for the seen a growing demand for installation on would need an EO/IR sensor, a surveillance King Air 350 for another undisclosed African pre-owned existing aircraft in order to both radar and AIS feed, all of which would only customer. This operator will receive two utilise the existing fleet and minimise costs.’ need one operator console on board. examples configured with the management While Mazor could not talk about who is ASW-configured SMA, on the other hand, system and Leonardo’s Seaspray radar, an using the system in detail, he noted that generally require more equipment, which Identification Friend or Foe transponder and the Mexican Air Force is using it on fixed- could include additional systems such as interrogator, and Link 11 data link. and rotary-wing aircraft. sonobuoy launchers and ELINT sensors. Leonardo is the prime for the contract and Developments for the system include an deliveries of the configured King Air 350ER improvement to the mission planning Smaller payloads variants are still pending, Massarenti said. element. ‘This enhancement will enable Leonardo is also offering an ‘ATOS The company is seeing a mix of requirements integration with satellite images and Lightweight’ configuration, which is aimed in terms of what set-up customers want, information in order to better assess at aircraft that have much smaller payload as well as the age of the aircraft being the demarcated surveillance areas and and passenger capacities, and can operate configured, be it new build or retrofit. immediately convert this information into a for some four to six hours at a time. ‘In ‘There are some trends. Countries that mission plan for the aircraft,’ Mazor said. these cases, the hardware has to be need maritime patrol and surveillance of SMA come in a number of different forms, adapted because of the payload,’ waters in some cases have older platforms be it low-cost business-jet-configured Massarenti said. A smaller radar and that need replacing… or they are looking systems, or the addition of multi-mission camera is installed, and instead of a fully for a less expensive solution,’ she said. capabilities to higher-end platforms. Nations integrated operator console, a laptop-based Additionally, nations in Asia are looking for with lower budgets or those with specific system is used. an ASW capability of some description to mission requirements are taking advantage ‘We are seeing quite strong demand for add to their fleets, while others want a of smaller aircraft in this category that are this type of aircraft, especially [among] full-scale ASW MPA potential. easy to deploy and can be configured with a customers with lower budgets and those An operator could have a transport to sensor suite to their liking. that monitor islands, like in South and which it wishes to add a multirole capability. What was once a niche market is now Central America.’ An example of this type For example, it could already operate an SMA thriving, and with a heavy investment from of capability was delivered to the Italian that needs upgrading or it could be acquiring manufacturers in expanding these special Guardia di Finanza that has ATOS a new aircraft altogether that will have a mission roles further, the market looks set integrated on its Piaggio Aero P.166 system like ATOS built in at production level. to continue its boom. ■

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