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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The AN/SYQ-20 Advanced Combat Direction System (ACDS) Block 1 consists of computer program software and associated hardware for non-Aegis combatant ships (aircraft carriers and selected amphibious warfare ships). ACDS Block 1 provides extended range display, expanded track capacity, Joint Tactical Information Distribution System interoperability, modifiable doctrine, display of mapping information, automatic gridlock, and doctrine-controlled multi-source identification. AN/SYQ-20 hardware includes computers, a display system with consoles, data terminal sets, automatic data processor, and automated status boards.

ACDS Block 1 is a combat direction system for aircraft carriers and amphibious warfare ships that supports the Joint Vision 2010 concept of full-dimensional protection, by providing control for a final layer of self-protection against threat "leakers" (air, surface, subsurface) for individual ships. By ensuring such protection, ACDS Block 1 contributes indirectly to the concept of precision engagement, enabling strike operations against targets to be executed from these platforms.

ACDS Block 1 represents the second phase of implementation of the Combat Direction System improvement plan of 1981, with ACDS Block 0 representing the initial phase. The Block 1 program was restructured in April 1991. Further adjustment occurred in FY93, targeting FY97 for fleet delivery of the software. Correction of deficiencies observed during 1997 testing delayed the OPEVAL and the full production decision. As discussed in the following, based on February 1998 OPEVAL results, ACDS Block 1 is assessed as neither operationally effective nor operationally suitable. Contrary to original plans, ACDS Block 1 will be installed in no more than five ships. Some features of ACDS Block 1 will be subsumed in the Ship Self Defense System Mark 2.

COMOPTEVFOR conducted an OA in late October 1997, based on limited testing at a land-based test site, the Integrated Combat Systems Test Facility, located at Point Loma, San Diego, CA. In preparation for the OPEVAL, developmental testing was conducted with the ACDS Block 1 onboard USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) in December 1997, during independent steaming in Atlantic Fleet Operating Areas. The TEMP was undergoing revision during this period and was approved by DOT&E in January 1998. OPEVAL was conducted in February 1998, during both independent operations, and as required by DOT&E, more stressing battle group operations in the Atlantic Fleet and Puerto Rican operating areas. Operations included air control and the detection, localization, classification, tracking and simulated engagement of air, surface, and subsurface targets. The OA and OPEVAL were conducted in accordance with DOT&E approved plans and a TEMP. DOT&E staff observed the testing. OPEVAL was suspended February 15-19 due to below threshold performance for software reliability and maintainability.

As a result of the OPEVAL conducted in a realistic battle group environment, ACDS Block 1 performance was determined to be neither operationally effective nor operationally suitable. (It was assessed earlier, based on results of the limited testing at the land-based test site in October 1997, as being potentially operationally effective and potentially operationally suitable.) Based on OPEVAL results, critical operational issues of doctrine management, system availability, logistic supportability, compatibility, training, safety, and security were resolved as satisfactory. During ship air defense training, two Sea Sparrow missiles successfully engaged an attack by subsonic anti-ship cruise missiles, simulated by target drones. However, demonstrated capability was unsatisfactory for the critical operational issues of own-ship mission management, composite warfare command management, survivability, performance monitoring and casualty modes, software reliability, software maintainability, interoperability, human factors, and documentation. ACDS Block 1 Major performance deficiencies included the following:

• Although ACDS Block 1 correlated reports from local sensors, correlation of local sensor data with remote tracks reported by other battle group units was inadequate, and did not support maintenance of a clear tactical display.



• Situational awareness was impaired by the display of two or more different tracks with the same track number.



• The multi-sensor identification process was inadequate, resulting in an inordinate number of identification conflict alerts for the operators.



• Functionality of the interface with the electronic warfare system was inadequate.



• Threat evaluation and priority assignment were inadequate.



• Undersea warfare functions were inadequate.



• The ACDS interface with the Joint Maritime Command Information System (JMCIS) was unreliable, and data exchange caused spurious JMCIS tracks.



• Data generated by the beacon video processor, the primary IFF source, was not processed properly.



• Frequent lock-ups of both OJ-451 and UYQ-70 consoles interrupted operator tactical actions. Restoration of console functionality was unacceptably slow.



• Software reliability was below the required threshold and corrective maintenance time for operational mission software faults was excessive.



• Display consoles responded slowly to operator actions and too much non-critical information was displayed.



• Documentation was incomplete, resulting in requests for technical assistance.

The ACDS Block 1 OPEVAL provided reaffirmation of a lesson learned from earlier testing with other systems: software-intensive systems intended to support control of defense against threat "leakers" (especially fast-moving air threats) must be immersed in a realistic operational test environment. In the case of ACDS Block 1, this equated to at-sea operations by the aircraft carrier with accompanying ships, along with a realistic number of air targets for radar tracking, identification, and threat prioritization by fleet operators.