Upgrading C-130 Defensive Capability

GTRI is helping the U.S. Air Force improve the defensive electronic warfare technology onboard some of its largest and most widely used aircraft.

Today’s military aircraft often have both a suite of advanced sensors and connections to tactical data networks. For these aircraft, net-centric warfare is today’s reality. Threat information can be pushed into the cockpit from these varied sources and can change rapidly as location and conditions change across the battlefield.

GTRI’s Integrated Defensive Avionics Software (IDAS) provides a proven correlation and threat response capability, complementing the core electronic warfare functions of the radar warning, missile warning and countermeasures systems. IDAS has been used on fixed-wing fighters andcargo aircraft, as well as rotary wing platforms.

“IDAS supports rapid threat display and response and it helps present accurate and usable information to the aircrew,” said Joe Brooks, a GTRI principal research engineer.

IDAS was developed in conjunction with the 542nd Combat Sustainment Squadron at Robins Air Force Base. IDAS includes a multi-hypothesis threat data correlator that fuses information from onboard sensors and data links, and it provides real-time threat response management functions required to counter radio frequency and infrared threats. It includes automated chaff and flare countermeasures.

“The IDAS design incorporates a threat response scripting language which is used by the mission data writer to build individual threat responses,” said Linda Viney, a GTRI principal research engineer. “It is this flexibility that enables IDAS to be deployed across various missions and platform types.”

GTRI has worked with the Air Force Research Laboratory for the past five years in developing displays to enhance situational awareness. These user interface designs are used for applications of the IDAS system.

IDAS incorporates the Virtual Electronic Combat Training System (VECTS) function in its operational flight program. VECTS provides in-flight aircrew tactics training simulating training threats, off-board contact reports, and Blue Force reports based on the VECTS Mission Data file which is created through the PFPS/FalconView threat layer.

Several training missions can exist in a single trainer scenario file list, each defining a training area and set of pseudo-threats and reports. VECTS also supports a missions debriefing capability.

Working with the Boeing Co., GTRI is currently updating the IDAS software under the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to add capability and update to open-systems standards.