Guardrail V
Program History
The Guardrail V program objective was to supply supportable Guardrail systems to the Army Corps Military Intelligence Battalions on the shortest schedule practical. These systems would undergo user evaluation test programs in the real field environment, performed by the troops that would be using the system in the years to come. Using this approach, systems could be delivered in a fraction of a normal full development cycle. An important fringe benefit would be reduced costs and avoidance of the all too common problem that plagued many an electronic warfare system, that of obsolescence occurring before the system could be fielded.
The Guardrail V program was conceived and placed on contract in the early FY76 time frame. Guardrail was to be an economical, second generation technology insertion system. It would be produced as a low density production system while the Army was waiting for the Cefly Lancer system to be developed and fielded. The Guardrail program office was to be under Project Manager Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) control. The contracts office and technical oversight were transitioned from the National Security Agency (NSA) to the US Army's Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. The US Army's Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM) had technical responsibility for certifying the aircraft.
Like previous Guardrail programs, Electromagnetic Systems Laboratory, Inc (ESL) would be the prime contractor and Beech would be the aircraft modification subcontractor. Unlike previous contracts, the Guardrail V program had formal data requirements that included logistic engineering, a qualification test program, a formal integrated system test program, a parts program, a Military Standard 45208 quality assurance program, a government quality assurance representative, military standard manuals (including -10, -13, and -23 technical manuals), repair parts and special tool lists, formal software documentation and provisioning. ESL provided a formal one time training program on each system for the mission equipment and Beech provided airframe training.
The Guardrail system was type classified as a Limited production urgent (LP-U) system. The system was designated as the AN/USD-9 Special Purpose Detecting System. The Guardrail V system was designed and documented so it could be maintained by Army MOS 33-S personnel with Guardrail V specialty training.
The overall GR-V program required 24 aircraft. These were derived from the various versions of existing RU-21 aircraft including the RU-21E, -21A, -21D and the -21G utility aircraft. Each of the aircraft were modified to the Guardrail V specific RU-21H configuration. These aircraft would be outfitted with wing tip pods that replaced many of the individual antennas and had provisions for the AN/ALQ-44 and AN/ALQ-36 radar warning equipment, had low reflective paint, and the were equipped XM130 chaff and flare dispensers. Lighter, smaller direction finding equipment helped make room for the heavy UHF link and RF antenna multiplexing equipment that was required in order to connect multiple communications transceivers and on-board radios to the same antenna.
The Guardrail system employed 3 40 foot sea-land type trailers to house the Integrated Processing Facility (IPF). The intercept/direction finding vans were modified with operator stations and sealed for EMI integrity. The IPF was designed to be transported in C-141 or C-5A type aircraft. A new computer system with vastly increased memory and processing capability was introduced. The capability for direct transfer of direction finding file line of position data into a tactical report was also introduced. Computer assisted diagnostics and link frequency algorithms were some of the refinements that went into the Guardrail V system software. More streamlined direction finding calibration and built-in automated direction finding accuracy test software was added. Superior direction finding performance was available from this second generation direction finding system that used 2 channels for successful direction finding against SSB and other intermittent signals.
The initial Guardrail V system was delivered in 28 months, on schedule, and was successfully fielded to replace the prototype Guardrail II systems at Gruenstadt, Germany. ESL and the US Government developing agency, with the cooperation of the gaining command performed an evaluation test program prior to final hand-off to VII Corps. Two additional systems were delivered to Korea and CONUS in one year intervals. Both the Guardrail II and IV systems were retired at this point. The older Guardrail systems had been heavily used, and did not have equal performance to the new Guardrail system.
The Guardrail V system met all criterion for a successful program as to budget, schedule and its operational capabilities. A spares push package and stock fund spares were delivered with the Guardrail V system to support system readiness.
Although the Guardrail system was still largely a manual system from a mission operational standpoint, it had proven to be a very capable, reliable system that lived up to full expectations and generally exceeded all its performance specifications. The fourth Guardrail system was diverted to support the Improved Guardrail V program, hence was not completed or fielded and the last 3 RU-21H aircraft were canceled.
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