The Utility of Using An Air Electronic Warfare Range Wing Commander Matt Lawrence Station Commander, RAF Spadeadam
The Utility of Using An Air Electronic Warfare Range
Wing Commander Matt Lawrence
Station Commander, RAF Spadeadam
The Perceived Threat
The Current Threat
MANPADS SA-7
$5,000 per missile on the black market
SA-20 The Technological Threat
Strategic SAM Systems
$300M per S-300PMU-2 battalion
SA-2 The Real Threat
Digitized SAM Systems $1M-$2M+ per fire unit/radar
The Digital IADS
KASTA 2E2
PECHORA 2M
/ SA-3 Upgrade
BAIKAL CP
The Spectrum of IADS
How To Improve EW Effectiveness?
• EW Trials
– Equipment, manoeuvre and
countermeasure testing
• Frontline EW Training
– Assurance activity
Fidelity
To provide effective training,
an EW range must have the fidelity
of threats and tactics to replicate both
threat and defensive activity
Threat Fidelity - Equipment
• Real Threats
SA-6 / SA-8 / ZSU / Skyguard
• Emulator Systems
AN/MPS-T1/43 – SA-2/3/6/8
• Simulators
IBU / JETS and MTRS
The
spectrum
of fidelity
Threat Fidelity - Real Systems
Acquisition radar
emissions
Target track
emissions
Missile
guidance
emissions
- They will give feedback on the real effects of jamming,
manoeuvre and chaff use
- Can be used to verify new jamming programmes or anti-SAM
Manoeuvres
- Hard to maintain & operate
Threat Fidelity - Emulators
- Engineered to replicate radar processes so should react like
the real thing
- Track like a real radar and are affected by the same issues
- Can be used to verify new jamming programmes or anti-SAM
Manoeuvres but with less confidence than using real eqpt
- Reasonably hard to maintain, easy to operate
Target track
emissions
Missile
guidance
emissions
Threat Fidelity - Simulators
- Guided by TV camera
- Simply produces a signal (no receive or processing capability)
- Will not react to chaff, jamming or manoeuvre as signal guided
by TV camera
- Used for aircrew training only
- Highly mobile, useful for deployed training
- Easy to maintain and operate
Target track or
missile guidance
signal
Threat Fidelity - Equipment
• The real equipment must
represent the opposition
baseline threat
• Technical refresh programmes
required
– To combat obsolescence
– To replicate new capability
• Spadeadam has upgraded
(digitized) its SA-6s and SA-8s
are being refurbished over the
next 24 months
Threat Fidelity - IR Equipment
• Simulators have signature element to
enhance fidelity
UV/IR MAWS
Visual cueing
Effective but
Cumbersome
Dedicated feedback
Threat Fidelity - IR Equipment
• Man-portable
• Aircrew
• Survivability
• Trainer
• Step change in IR training
• IR/EO on the training system
• Far more portable
• Day/night capable
• Can replicate any currently
deployed MANPAD
MAST from
ESL Ltd
Threat Fidelity - Tactics
• How do you replicate threat tactics?
• How do you retain your operators once they
are fully trained?
• How do you retain their currency vs
complex opposition?
• How do you instil the ethos of the SAM
operator?
TRAIN YOUR SAM
OPERATORS TO USE
THE EQUIPMENT AS
THE OPPOSITION WOULD
Threat Fidelity - Tactics
SA-3 SA-2
- Threat deployments
- Threat density
- Threat tactical
employment
Flexibility
To provide effective training,
an EW range must have the flexibility
to provide a service to all aircraft types,
all levels of aircrew experience and, if
necessary, away from the range
Flexibility - SPICCCS
• SPadeadam Integrated Command, Control
and Communications System (SPICCCS)
– GPRS phones and laptop
– Local fibre links backed up with
RADREL at Spadeadam
– ATC radar feeds
– Data and voice links in real time
RAF Spadeadam SPICCCS offers
the functionality of a mini-IADS
Flexibility - SPICCCS
Medium range
SAM
Short range SAM
/ AAA Radar
IR threat teams
SSR radar
coverage
IADS North
IADS
North East
IADS
Spadeadam
Flexibility - SPICCCS
2710
B- 239
E- 4.5
R- 10.6
2711
B- 305
E- 4.5
R- 9.5
2712
B- 044
E- 2.5
R- 11.9
Start
Acquisition
Target
Acquired
Target
Auto
Track
Target
Manual
Track
Target
TV
Track
Missile
Guidance
Missile
Launch
Missile
Impact
Break lock
Chaff
Break lock
Terrain
Break lock
Jamming
Break lock
Manoeuvre
Target
Track
Broken
Run
Complete
Target
Reacquired
1201:04 Acquire target 1701
1201:10 Start acquisition
1201:45 Target Acquired
1201:58 Manual track
1202:10 Auto track
1202:20 Missile guidance
1202:25 Missile launch
tgt 127°, 10.6nm
1202:40 Break lock chaff
1202:50 Target reacquired
1202:55 Target TV track
1203:15 Missile Guidance
1203:25 Missile Launch
1203:39 Jamming noted
1203:55 Missile Impact
tgt 131°, 12.5nm
1204:10 Run Complete
.
.
.
-Expecting first wave at 1200ish
-System manned and ready
-SPICCS showing 1st targets
5 mins out
-Your 1st tgt will be 1701
-Rgr
-Radar on, use acq/track
-Rgr
-Starting run now
Flexibility - Threats
SAM Range
and complexity
User requirement
ECM
ESM
EPM
Flexibility - Tactics
• Dedicated airspace - danger area
• Range slots allow high energy
manoeuvres
• Permanent jamming warning area
• Chaff use allowed below 2000ft
• Rotary use of flares in defined areas
REAL TACTICS IN A REALISTIC ENVIRONMENT
Flexibility - Multi-users
5,000ft hard deck
Feedback
To develop effective countermeasures
or to confirm aircraft manoeuvres work,
the aircrew and trials officers need to be
provided detailed feedback on the
effectiveness of their range activity
Feedback - Aircrew
Start
Acquisition
Target
Acquired
Target
Auto
Track
Target
Manual
Track
Target
TV
Track
Missile
Guidance
Missile
Launch
Missile
Impact
Break lock
Chaff
Break lock
Terrain
Break lock
Jamming
Break lock
Manoeuvre
Target
Track
Broken
Run
Complete
Target
Reacquired
1201:04 Acquire tgt 1701
1201:10 Start acquisition
1201:45 Target Acquired
1201:58 Manual track
1202:10 Auto track
1202:20 Missile guidance
1202:25 Missile launch
tgt 127°, 10.6nm
1202:40 Break lock chaff
1202:50 Target reacquired
1202:55 Target TV track
1203:15 Missile Guidance
1203:25 Missile Launch
1203:39 Jamming noted
1203:55 Missile Impact
tgt 131°, 12.5nm
1204:10 Run Complete
-Expecting first wave at 1200
-System manned and ready
-SPICCS showing 1st targets
5 mins out
-Your 1st tgt will be 1701
-Rgr
-Radar on, use acq/track
-Rgr
-Starting run now
Feedback - Aircrew Date: 10 Oct 12
Report for SAXON 1, 617 Sqn
1439.00 SA-6 order to engage
1439.10 SA-6 TA detects tgt
1439.40 SA-6 TT acquires tgt
1439.42 SA-6 TT autotrack
1439.45 SA-6 Jamming detected
1439.50 SA-6 TT breaklock - chaff
1439.55 SA-6 Visually tracking tgt
1440.01 SA-6 TT reacquire tgt
1441.10 SA-6 Missile guidance
1441.14 SA-6 missile launch
1441.37 SA-6 impact 306.30/07.05
Feedback - Aircrew
• EGPMR allows accurate sortie
assessment
– Manoeuvres work
– Timeline for ARM attack
• Can be enhanced with telephone debrief
from SAM crew
• Face-to-face debrief when equipment
deploys to Main Operating Bases
• Video of flare release vs IR seeker
Feedback - Trials
• Digital SAM equipment can be linked to
fibre network to high capacity data stores
• Usually restricted to single threat system
and target
• Multiple runs
• Overnight analysis for feedback into trial
activity the next day
• Use of real systems wherever possible
RAF Spadeadam
• Provides world leading EW threat training
– Fidelity
– Flexibility
– Feedback
• ~ 20 RF and 9 IR/EO Threat systems
• 190 personnel (mix of military and civilian)
• Used by UK Defence, NATO and others
– Magic Carpet, ATLC, SBGF
• Run for under £1M per annum