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Contract modification continues surface target research

AFMC News Service Release

Released Nov. 25, 2002

ROME, N.Y. (AFMCNS) - Research allowing warfighters to engage moving surface targets continues to move forward thanks to Air Force Research Laboratory officials here awarding a $14.1 million contract modification to Northrop Grumman Corp., of Melbourne, Fla., Nov. 19.

Tanks, tactical ballistic missile transporters and small boats are a few targets in Northrop Grumman researcher's crosshairs as they continue developing the Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement II System.

Officials at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of Arlington, Va., funded the one-year agreement as part of the agency's AMSTE program. Researchers working with AMSTE investigate and develop technologies to affordably engage moving surface targets.

The contract calls for Northrop Grumman experts to continue developing long-term track maintenance capabilities, according to Jon Jones, program manager in the directorate's information and intelligence exploitation division. He said Northrup Grumman will develop and demonstrate real-time battle management and command, control and communications, as well as complete the architectural development needed to perform an end-to-end AMSTE precision engagement system demonstration.

"AMSTE is envisioned to provide a new capability for the military services to strike moving surface threats with precision from long ranges and in all weather conditions," said Jones. "The program primarily focuses on Ground Moving Target Indication radar, a sensor that can detect moving surface vehicles from long distances."

Moving ground targets pose a significant challenge to current weapon systems because of the dynamics involved, Jones said. Idle vehicles can accelerate to speeds of 60 miles per hour in less than 10 seconds - and stop in shorter periods of time.

While typical military vehicles don't tend to accelerate or stop that fast, they still pose a significant challenge maintaining accurate tracks, he said. Vehicles also tend to mix with other vehicles, travel within groups or convoys, start and stop often, and use terrain to block their detection.

On Aug. 22, the AMSTE team successfully demonstrated the ability to track a moving target from long range and to use this tracking information to continuously redirect a Joint Direct Attack Munition weapon in flight to attack that target. That flight test was conducted at the Air Force test range at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and involved an F-16 fighter flying at 20,000 feet.

The following month, at the China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center, Calif., two JDAM weapons simultaneously targeted the second and third vehicles within a five-vehicle convoy on the Navy's desert test range.

"During the coming year, we will be focusing on continued maturation of engaging multiple moving targets with multiple GMTI platforms," said Jones, adding that current planning includes demonstrations at the annual Roving Sands Exercise next June at the White Sands Missile Range, N.M.