Pt - 6
GROUND COMPLEMENTS OF AEW&C
System Test Integration Rig
AEW&C System being a System of Systems poses greater challenges in integration, This gets even more challenging when these systems have to work in tandem to form an integrated system. The complexity increases when the same is to function in an airborne environment where there are constraints in terms of volume, power, cooling etc.
The System Test and Integration (STIR) facility ensures a smooth integration and necessary clearances from the stakeholders before being put on the aircraft to reduce both the time and costly flight testing of the systems.
This facility is equipped with simulators for checking the system for mechanical, electrical, digital, RF and software integration and providing an integrated environment for tandem working of the system. The Rig also facilitates in terms of carrying out the behavior of the systems under various scenarios and environment that the mission is likely to encounter and caters for the stress testing of the system
Mission Planning and Analysis Station
The Mission Planning and Analysis Station (MIPAS) is a critical ground based system which supports pre-and post-mission activities of the AEW&C. The main task of MIPAS, at the pre-mission phase, is to prepare the Mission Parameter Data (MPD) Library to be uploaded to the AEW&C system. The uploaded MPD library serves as the technical and operational online database during the mission. The pre-mission phase outcome, which is the MPD library (a single MPD is for a specific, single mission sortie), consists of Pre Flight Messages (PFM) files and Tactical Mission Data (TMD) files.
Each MPD consists of PFM for the subsystems, which include Radar, IFF, Mission Data Processor (MDP), CSM Communication Support Measures (CSM), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Self-Protection Suite (SPS), Intercept Control Processor (ICP), Mission Recording and Playback (MRP), Operator Work Station (OWS), and Communication PFMs (V/UHF, C Band and SATCOM).
TMD consists of Tactical Data Item (TDI), Weather Data, Mission Order, Mode Code Table, TYCO (Type and Configuration) and GRT (General Rule Table). Tactical Data Item include Fixed Points (like Airbases, Navigation aids, Radar sites, Surface to Air Missiles sites etc), Areas (like Defended areas, Danger zones, Flight corridors etc), and Flight Plans of known aircraft.
The PFM and TMD files are needed for the initialization and operation of the airborne mission systems in a specific mission scenario. In a mission sortie, AEW&C generates and records various sensor data (like ESM, CSM), voice, video, RT calls, and navigation data. All this recorded data is required to be decoded and analyzed to improve the performance in future missions. For each sortie these recorded data and video recordings of each operator consoles is very huge. These voluminous data needs to be analyzed in short time. During post-mission, MIPAS supports data download, playback, analysis and report generation based on the downloaded data from the AEW&C. Facility to feed simulated data is also available.
Ground Exploitation Station
The Ground Exploitation Station is a transportable field deployable system, which can receive the information from AEW&C system both through a LOS and Satellite Data Links. The GES can be located in remote locations, thereby enabling the availability of the air situation picture around them in real time.
The Ground Exploitation Station (GES) acts as an interface between the AEW&C and the IACCS. The real-time Recognizable Air Situation Picture (RASP) generated onboard AEW&C is transmitted to the GES, which is, interfaced with the IACCS through an interface unit for dissemination of tactical information to the decision makers on the ground. Similarly, the command from the IACCS to the AEW&C is routed through GES.
GES enables the officers to see live sensor data collected by the onboard AEW&C sensors. All this visualization happens on ground (in GES)/Mission Control Room (in IACCS room).
The Communication between AEW&C and GES can happen in one of the three modes: CBDL Data link; Ku Band Data link; and V/UHF communication system. The communication between GES and IACCS happens through Ethernet link. Once the sensors data is on IACCS network, it provides seamless availability of the information at any place across India.
GES, being a modular design, is easy for transportation and deployment. Multiple GES can be operational at the same time and the live sensor data can be monitored at different geographical locations. It comprises of mission system such as, Mission System Controller (MSC), Mission Communication System (MCS), C Band & Ku Band Data Link system and Operator Work Stations (OWS). All these systems are powered through a Diesel Generator (DG) system. As an entity it comprises of the following shelter / trailer based units, namely GES shelter, DG shelter, trailer mounted CBDL outdoor units, trailer mounted KBDL units and 18m VUHF antenna masts.
GES facility has been established at CABS as well as at Air Force Station Bhatinda, Air Force station Jodhpur and Air Force Station Ambala. The main components of GES are as follows:
GES Operator shelter: - houses all the indoor LRUs of mission system. It has been designed to accommodate four racks (for fitment of LRUs, UPS and batteries), two operator work station consoles, one CCTV console and a power distribution panel. Racks are fitted with various mission system LRUs like system controller, base band units, tracking receivers, antenna control unit, radios, high power amplifiers, VAIU etc.
C Band Data Link Trailer: - is fitted with a 1.8 meter dish antenna; with two feed (Main feed & Acquisition Aid Antenna). The antenna is fitted on a scissors lift; the scissors lift aids in the operation of the antenna at an elevated level.
The CBDL trailer also houses a drive control unit, a RF system, a dehydrator and a scissors lift motor.
Ku Band Data link trailer: - is fitted with a 2.4 meter dish antenna with its offset feed. The KBDL trailer houses a RF system consisting of Block Up Converter (BUC), Low Noise Block Down Converter (LNBC), and Electronic Compass. Four hydraulic jacks are provided for the trailers, which aids in meeting pointing accuracy of ground KBDL antenna towards satellite. VUHF Masts has two 18 meter masts fitted near the shelter. VUHF antennas are fitted on top of these two masts, which help in attaining maximum range for communication.
AEW&C Ground Exploitation Station-Operator Shelter
Components of Ground Exploitation Station
Operator Training Station
Operator Training Station (OTS) is a ground-based system for training the operators in a realistic, simulated environment for providing tactical training, command & control and battle management by simulating the behavior of different airborne sensors under dynamically varying scenarios.
It aids in providing hands on training to fighter controllers and judging the operational competence of the squadrons. It not only trains the operators in simulated scenarios comprising of Computer Generated Forces (CGF) but also by recreating previous mission sortie’s recorded large scale integrated exercise scenarios and thus providing exponential benefits. The facility enables enormous cost saving of training in flights of high value asset mission platforms such as AEW&C, thereby conserving precious flying missions. This facility has been extensively used by the Fighter controllers/ Mission Operators for training under different battlefield scenarios on ground. The OTS has capability to train either five Mission operators with five instructors controlling each one of them or one Instructor, training nine mission operators simultaneously.
It also has capability of simulated pilot sitting on IOS controlling its own simulated entities. OTS basically comprises of the Instructor Operator Station (IOS), Trainee Operator Station (TOS) and Server Rack
Automated Test Equipment
The maintenance philosophy of the AEW&C system is maintenance at three levels, namely, I (Intermediate), O (Operational) and D (Depot).
'O' level maintenance tasks are performed at the operational base mostly in-situ for all the systems. CABS has designed & developed Automated Test Equipment for testing Mission System LRUs for 'I' level maintenance of AEW&C.
The purpose of the ATE is to provide the simulating input to the LRUs and measuring the response based on which decision can be made, whether LRU can be declared as OK or not. The testing of the faulty LRUs off loaded from the Mission System is also done in ATE. It also carries out tests on spare LRUs to the required level of confidence prior to mounting into the Mission System. The ATE comprises modular and standard commercially-off-the-shelf test equipment interconnected through PXI/PXIe/GPIB bus and also through a fully managed Ethernet Switch.
Excitation and measurement is done by the test equipment in the ATE through ITA. The ATE software is built on industry standard platform- NI LabVIEW and NI Test Stand.
Principal elements of the Airborne Radar Test Bed
Mission Software Support Facility
The Mission Software Support Facility (MSSF) is one of the Ground Segment of AEW&C and is used to provide software maintenance and configuration management of the AEW&C system. The AEW&C system software is maintained at CSCI (Computer Software Configuration Item) level in the MSSF facility. The MSSF is used as a secure and centralized repository to store the software work-products of AEW&C sub-systems. The advantage of such repository is to make available all the software for AEW&C at a single place over the life time of the system. A Software Configuration Management server is used to store the software work products.