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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

TACTICAL CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS)

	Joint ACAT II Program 206 systems Procurement cost found within appropriate UAV system costs RDT&E $172M Average unit cost (TY$) $300K Full-rate production 2QFY00 Prime Contractor Naval Air Weapons Center - Dahlgren Division/Joint Technology Center - Huntsville, AL

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The mission of the Tactical Control System (TCS) is to provide the warfighters with an interoperable and scaleable command, control, and communications system for the family of tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The TCS will provide the tactical commander with information superiority contributing to the full-dimensional protection of his force and precision engagement of the enemy.

The TCS is a software intensive program to provide the warfighter with a scaleable and modular capability to operate UAVs on service standard common hardware and dissemination with current and future C4I processing systems. Scaleable refers to the ability to provide five levels of UAV payload information interaction that range from receipt and transmission of secondary imagery to full functional control of the UAV and paylaod from takeoff to landing. Modularity allows the use of common hardware and the ability to increase or decrease capability by adding or removing components from the system being used. The TCS will have the capability to be configured and down-scaled to meet the user's deployability or operator limitations. TCS is compliant with joint tactical architecture (JTA), distributive common ground station (DCGS), common imagery ground/surface system (CIGSS), an defense information infrastructure/common operation environment (DII/COE).

TCS software will run on current services' hardware such as the Navy TAC-X, Army and Marine Corps CHS-II/SPARC 20, and Air Force SGI/DEC. The TCS will be an integral part of the Outrider HMMWV-based ground control station. The TCS will initially support the Outrider and receive Predator payload data aboard L-class Ships and will be the control system for future ship-based UAVs and UAV operations. The Air Force TCS will be an upgrade of the existing Predator GCS.

The TCS Operational Requirements Document (ORD) was validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council on 3 February 1997 (JROCM 011-97). This ORD identified the urgent need to provide a common tactical control system for the current and future family of tactical and medium altitude endurance UAVs. The program is funded by the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office which has designated the Navy's Program Executive Office for Cruise Missiles and UAVs as the executing agent for the program. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps are participating in the program. The TCS architecture is also being shared with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Project Group 35.

The program will be implemented in three phases. The system is currently in Phase I (Program Definition and Risk Reduction). This phase will deliver three prototype systems. The prototype systems will participate in demonstrations and joint and service specific exercises to generate early user input and evaluation. Phase II (Engineering and Manufacturing Development will deliver four LRIP systems. The government is serving as the system integrator during the R&D phase to pull together a number of commercial software and hardware products. As the system progresses further in its development cycle, a contract will be let to a commercial vendor to integrate and produce the systems in quantity during LRIP and production. The LRIP systems will be used to conduct for operational testing for all services and allow an initial operational capability in 2^nd QFY00. Phase III (Production, Deployment, and Operational Support) will commence following the successful conclusion of Phase II. The objective of Phase III will be to produce the 206 TCS nodes identified in the ORD. (Only 74 systems are currently funded.)

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy (RDA) designated the TCS program as an acquisition category II on September 12, 1997. A Test and Evaluation Master has been completed and submitted for review.

The first TCS prototype was deployed during the Army's Task Force XXI March 97 exercise. The system demonstrated the capability for passive receipt of video and telemetry from a Predator UAV surrogate (GNAT-750) and an Outrider UAV surrogate (Hunter). UAV video was disseminated from the TCS to a JSTARS ground terminal and other TOC monitors. UAV data were transmitted to ASAS and AFATDS. The system demonstrated the capability to monitor the status of multiple UAVs and was also integrated with a UAV simulation environment, the MUSE.

The TCS participated in the Ulchi Focus Lens-97 (UFL-97) and the Joint Warfighters Interoperability Deomnstration-97 (JWID-97) by operating MUSE-generated UAVs. The JWID exercise focused on connectivity to external C4I systems, while the UFL exercise focused on the connectivity and interoperability of multiple UAVs (Hunter, Outrider, and Predator). TCS also participated in FLEETEX 98-1M on USS TARAWA.

The TCS successfully demonstrated up to Level II interaction (direct receipt of data and imagery) from both Predator and Outrider surrogate UAVs as well as Pioneer UAV. The system was responsible for a large fraction of the total reconnaissance reports and image files generated during Task Force XXI. The system demonstrated the capability to monitor the status of multiple UAVs and was also integrated with a multiple UAV simulation environment (MUSE). Connectivity was achieved with other C4I systems, although some of the required systems do not have complete interfaces (ADOCS) while other systems required work arounds (JSTARS LGSM).

During UFL-97, tactical communications via the TCS were accomplished by the 7th AF, the 2ID, and the CMEF; these communications included RECCEXREPs, SALUTEs, images, and ATI/CDRs. The iterative prototype process has been successful in creating a database of operator feedback for HCI issues using trained UAV operators.

During JWID-97, the first shipboard installations of TCS and MUSE were accomplished aboard USS STENNIS and the first TCS TAC-4 configuration was demonstrated. The system played a part in the successful sensor-to-shooter scenario, and more HCI data were collected. FLEET EX 98-1M demonstrated actual control of GNAT 750 and payload from a sea platform.

By participating in demonstrations and exercises early-on, crucial warfighter input to the design and concept of operations is gained. One lesson apparent from the exercises TCS participated in is that training for the command staff is necessary to exploit the new capabilities of the TCS, and that operators require additional training in the advanced connectivity capabilities.