A Higher-Tech Hog: The A-10C PE Program

The Precision Engagement modification is the largest single upgrade effort ever undertaken for the USA's unique A-10 "Warthog" close air support aircraft fleet. when complete, it will give them precision strike capability sooner than planned, combining multiple upgrade requirements into one time and money-saving program rather than executing them as standalone projects. Indeed, the USAF has accelerated the PE program by 9 months as a result of its experiences in Operation Iraqi Freedom. DID has covered some of those experiences here.

The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over 4-5 years, at an estimated total contract value of $168 million. While A/OA-10 aircraft continue to outperform technology-packed rivals on the battlefield, this set of upgrades is expected to help keep the aircraft current until the fleet's planned phase-out in 2028.
This is DID's FOCUS Article covering the program, which will be updated as new developments and contracts arise. It covers the A-10's battlefield performance and advantages, the elements of the PE program, and the contracts that have been issued each step of the way. The latest updates include a GAO report that puts more precise figures on the PE program and the larger cost of keeping the A-10 fleet operational to 2028....
A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II: Experiences on the Ground


"The Major's Email: British Harrier Support in Afghanistan, Revisited" examined the statements of a British officer who had criticized British close air support, and openly stated a preference for USAF A-10s over any aircraft the British could deploy in theater.
As we explained at the time, this comes as no surprise. The O/A-10 "Warthog" has the advantage of armored protection, along with a purpose-built design that allows slower speed forward flight and longer loiter time over the battlefield. Not to mention its infamous GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun that can take apart a tank - or just about anything else in its field of fire. This is what allowed it to do a substantially better job in Desert Storm than fast-moving fighters like the quickly-abandoned "A-16" F-16 experiment, and it's currently keeping them very busy in Afghanistan.
It kept them busy in Iraq, too. A July 2003 report in Air Force News quoted Lt. Col. Dave Kennedy:
"Kennedy said during a Pentagon interview that in the first week of the war, close-air support requests went to the Combined Air Operations Center "open-ended" -- meaning no specific aircraft type was requested. After the first week, he said, 80 to 90 percent of the requests for close-air support were A-10-specific."
As one can see, the British Major is hardly alone in his preferences. Why is this?
As this National Defense magazine article notes, fast jets simply aren't an ideal choice for close air support, and the British aren't alone in having this issue. US Army Sgt. First Class Frank Antenori discuss his recent experiences in Iraq:
"The aircraft that we have are awesome, but they are too awesome, they are too fast, too high speed. The older technology, the A-10, is far better than the new technology, Antenori said. "The A-10s never missed, and with the F/A-18s we had to do two or three bomb runs to get them on the target," he said, recalling his recent experiences in combat."
Dispatches from Afghanistan add an additional edge, and reinforce the point:
The A-10 combines some of the best of today's high-technology Air Force with a solid, low-tech foundation. The addition of a targeting and laser-designation pod was a huge boost to the plane's capabilities, but still no substitute for the pilot's eyeballs.
"Most other aircraft rely heavily on (electronic) sensors to find and target the enemy," said Capt. Rick Mitchell, deployed here from the Air Force Reserve Command's 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. "In the A-10, it's not unusual for a pilot to use binoculars."

Which is not to say that technology is useless. A/OA-10s have made effective and frequent use of LITENING AT surveillance and targeting pods, for instance. Integrating them directly into the aircraft's systems is a fine idea that lowers pilot workload, and adds scanning range and improved night/bad weather capabilities. While a second crewman would be ideal, and was part of a 1980s "A-10 Night/Adverse Weather" model that was never produced, the sensor pods are clear improvements. Likewise, adding the ability to drop additional precision weapons like JDAM or its WCMD cluster bomb counterpart can only be a plus. On the flip side, A-10s have also been involved in several notable friendly fire incidents; datalink improvements are critical in order to cut down on potential incidents.
The point is that whereas conventional jet fighters have design and protection levels that force them to depend on these enhancements for effectiveness, the A-10's cheaper, purpose-built design and vastly higher levels of protection give its pilots additional options. Those additional options contribute directly to effectiveness in combat, and can still be used if hostile fire or simple technical failure render those technological enhancements useless.
The net result is an A/OA-10A Thunderbolt II/ "Warthog" platform that is a worthy successor to its P-47 Thunderbolt/"Jug" namesake, whose top 10 aces all survived World War II. The "Hog" also remains the best western close air support aircraft by a very wide margin.
With the new Precision Engagement additions, the A/OA-10C gains many of the newer fighters' tricks as well. This program will arguably make it the world's best close support aircraft. It's also likely to remain so well into the future, despite competition from the upgraded Sukhoi SU-25/28 "Frogfoot"/"Scorpion", or boasts by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program that their aircraft will be able to replace it.
The A/OA-10 Precision Engagement Modification Program
To date, A-10 fleet upgrades have been somewhat patchwork and piecemeal. This program changes all that. An April 2, 2007 GAO report places the A-10 Precision Engagement program's total overall cost is estimated at around $420 million in an April 2, 2007 GAO report.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego is the prime contractor and systems integrator under the direction of the A-10 program office (508th Attack Sustainment Squadron), leading a team that includes Northrop Grumman of St. Augustine, FL; BAE Systems of Johnson City, NY; and Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) of San Antonio, TX. The Air Force awarded the Precision Engagement development contract to Lockheed Martin in 2001, and as the prime contractor Lockheed is expected to deliver a total of 356 kits over 5 years, at an estimated cost of $168 million. Lockheed Martin received the production contract in February 2005, with the first production kits delivered to Hill AFB in March 2006.
While the program was originally supposed to consist of several spirals, these plans were modified in light of USAF requests and needs. The program now consists of 2 increments, with JTRS fielding left as an open item to be addressed once the JTRS AMF equipment is available.
A-10 PE, Increment 3.2
The Maryland ANG 175th Wing at Warfield ANG Base in Baltimore, MD will be the first unit to convert to the modified aircraft and integrate them into normal operations, beginning in September 2007. They will receive Increment 3.2, which will include the PE kit described below plus datalink capability (14 months early), basic JDAM and WCMD compatibility (9 months early), the Spiral 1 PE kit described below, and targeting pod compatibility.
Each Spiral 1 Precision Engagement kit consists of a new cockpit instrument panel. A new computer called the Central Interface Control Unit (CICU) adds new cockpit controls and displays, including a pair of 5×5 inch multi-function color displays that include moving digital map functions. The new integrated Digital Stores Management System (DSMS), meanwhile, keeps track of weapons and launches them; it will be linked into applications as diverse as video from the targeting pod, weapons status reports, and the data link. These upgrades require a major change to the aircraft's wiring, and consume a lot more power. Not to worry, though; a second DC generator will double the A-10's generator capacity.
For the pilot, a new stick grip and right throttle provide true hands-on-throttle and-stick (HOTAS) fingertip control of aircraft systems and targeting pod functionality. Using the HOTAS, the pilot can designate the targeting pod to monitor an area of interest, confirm target identification, and provide laser guidance to weapons from his A-10 or from another platform - all without taking his hands from the controls. Upgrading 6 of the A-10C's 11 pylons to 'smart' weapons capability via MIL-STD-1760 is the final piece of the basic infrastructure upgrades.
Key add-ons build upon these initial steps, and targeting pod integration is touted as the final piece of spiral 1. PE Program modifications will allow the A-10 to carry either the Northrop-Grumman/ Rafael LITENING AT or the Lockheed Martin Sniper XR targeting pod on an underwing pylon as fully integrated devices, with connections to all of the aircraft's other systems. The pods, which include long-range TV and infrared cameras with zoom capabilities and a laser target designator, will enable the pilot to identify targets from medium altitudes on the order of 20,000 to 30,000 feet day or night, then illuminate them for homing, laser-guided or GPS guided bombs. Integration with ROVER devices carried by ground troops also becomes possible, allowing front line forces to communicate using annotated map displays and specific positional data.
The targeting pods will help reduce mistaken attacks on friendly forces and noncombatants by giving the pilot a closer look at potential targets, and experience with other jets indicates that their stabilized, "point and stare" capabilities are likely to prove especially important in urban operations. Eventually, they will allow A-10 aircraft to engage targets from a higher altitude using advanced sensors and targeting pods and precision guided weapons, including the JDAM and their companion WCMD kits for cluster bombs.
Another very significant Increment 3.2 upgrade involves Raytheon's SADL data link. It offers Link 16 integration with other fighters, allowing the O/A-10C to receive position data for enemy aircraft, air defenses, and other targets beyond its range of sight. In addition, it integrates with the Army Enhanced Position Locating and Reporting System (ePLRS) that is part of FBCB2, a.k.a. "Blue Force Tracker." This means that friendly troops on the ground receive the plane's position and altitude, while the 5 closest "friendlies" show up on the aircraft's heads-up display and/or multi-function cockpit displays at the beginning of an attack. Given past A-10-related friendly fire incidents, the appeal of a system like SADL is obvious.
Major Drew English, the USAF program manager for A-10C Precision Engagement, told Military Aerospace Technology that "I would say the biggest [change] we have coming impact wise is the data link. It will shape our tactics and it bring us into a new era, probably as much as night vision goggles did when we got those in the mid-'90s"
SADL was added after the A-10 Precision Engagement program requirements were finalized, which is usually a predictor of trouble. Instead, it went from requirements to delivery in just 17 months, thanks to a general sense of urgency and extraordinary contractor efforts. Those efforts included hardware purchases by Lockheed Martin before they had a government contract to do so, putting their funds at risk but ultimately shortening project completion by 6 months.
The Air Force has been conducting flight-testing of the A-10C at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, and at Nellis Air Force Base, NV, since early 2005. Operational Testing Certification (OT Cert) begins in July 2007, with Air Force operational test and evaluation center Operational User Evaluation (AFOTEC OUE) in August 2007 that includes a final look at JDAM integration and the SADL datalink. If everything continues to go well, operational fielding begins in early September 2007 and The AFOTEC report will follow in October 2007.
A-10 PE, Increment 3.3
A second fielded Precision Enagement release will provide for CNS/ATM (fm immunity function for overseas), full smart weapon integration, more software upgrades, additional improvements as a result of feedback from earlier flight tests, and some maintainer functional improvements.
Releases to test will occur in August 2007 and December 2007, with fielding expected around May 2008.
PE kit production will run to 2008. Squadrons will release their jets for modification at Hill AFB, UT for upgrades, and they'll return about 90 days later as A/OA-10Cs. Installation work is scheduled to run until 2009. At present, the program remains on-track and under budget.
A-10 PE, Other Planned Improvements
At some point, the A-10s are also slated to get a Joint Tactical Radio System-based (JTRS) radios. As of April 2007, JTRS AMF was only in the bid phase. The A-10 PE program office currently sees JTRS integration as a task for 2013 or later.
The O/A-10C's eventual modifications will go beyond electronics, however. To improve the A-10's overall power and maintainability, the USAF plans to upgrade the existing General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofan engines. Components of the existing engine will be replaced; in particular, a more efficient fan section with wider blades would be installed by General Electric along with digital engine controls. Flight testing of the revamped engine was slated to begin in fiscal 2008, and production in 2009-2010. The effort was scheduled to begin in earnest in 2006, but it was downgraded in priority and deferred. The USAF has requested $230 million in the FY 2008 supplemental budget to begin preparations, but has not yet made provisions for full funding of the re-engining program.
An April 2, 2007 GAO report places the potential total cost of upgrading, refurbishing, and service life extension plans for the A/OA-10 force at up to $4.4 billion.
Contracts & Key Events:
Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are awarded to Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY as leader of the A-10 Prime Team; and they are issued by the Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, UT.
April 11/07: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Owego, NY received a $70 million indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity, firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee and time-and-materials contract. This action covers continuing development, integration, and production of Raytheon's Situation Awareness Data Link (SADL), and Improved Date Modem (IDM) efforts in support of on-going A/OA-10C Precision Engagement (PE) fleet modernization and upgrade efforts. At this time, $4.1 million have been obligated, and work will be complete December 2009. The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH (FA8635-07-D-6015).
April 9/07: The A-10 Prime Team announces successful delivery of the full-function Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL) capability to the U.S. Air Force for developmental flight testing. The U.S. Air Force is expected to conduct developmental flight test of the SADL capability through May 2007 at Eglin Air Force Base, FL. SADL is expected to be fielded to operational A-10 units by September 2007. Lockheed Martin release.
April 2/07: The US Government Accountability Office releases #GAO-07-415 - 'Tactical Aircraft: DOD Needs a Joint and Integrated Investment Strategy'. A key excerpt:
"The Air Force will retain the A-10 "Warthog" fleet in its inventory much longer than planned because of its relevant combat capabilities-- demonstrated first during Desert Storm and now in the ongoing Global War on Terror. However, because of post-Cold War plans to retire the fleet in the early 1990s, the Air Force had spent little money on major upgrades and depot maintenance for at least 10 years. As a result, the Air Force faces a large backlog of structural repairs and modifications - much of it unfunded - and will likely identify more unplanned work as older aircraft are inspected and opened up for maintenance. Major efforts to upgrade avionics, modernize cockpit controls, and replace wings are funded and underway. Program officials identified a current unfunded requirement of $2.7 billion, including $2.1 billion for engine upgrades, which some Air Force officials say is not needed. A comprehensive service life extension program (if required) could cost billions more."
...A major re-winging effort is planned for 2007 through 2016 that will replace the "thin skin" wings on 242 aircraft at an estimated cost of $1.3 billion. This effort will help to extend the A-10's service life to 16,000 hours... Total cost to complete the [Precision Engagement] modification is estimated to be $420 million.
March 27/07: Lockheed Martin announces a $40.4 million contract modification to complete the A-10C Precision Engagement program's engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase. Work will continue through May 2008 to conclude development of the Precision Engagement software suite and to support flight testing conducted by U.S. Air Force. Lockheed Martin release.
Oct 17/06: The USAF reports that as of October 2006, 21 A-10C aircraft have been modified at Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah; the entire fleet of 356 active aircraft are to receive the upgrades, including active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Warthogs.
Sept 27/06: A $49 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive fee and time and material contract. Lockheed Martin's release cites 107 PE kits, which represent the second production lot following the initial award for 72 kits in March 2005. The 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group at Hill AFB, UT began installing the first award production kits in March 2006.
"The contractor shall provide total systems performance responsibility for A-10 aircraft integration by managing all system problems to a final solution. Interfaces are maintained between the performance work systems primary areas of modifications, system test/evaluation, project management, system engineering, and facilities." At this time, $1.3 million have been obligated, and work will be complete September 2010 (FA8202-06-D-0001)
March 21/06: Lockheed Martin announces that the A-10 Prime Team has delivered the Digital Stores Management System (DSMS) to the U.S. Air Force's A-10C flight-test program as scheduled. The new system is integrated with the Sniper ATP and LITENING surveillance and targeting pods, and automates many of the weapons control functions that A-10 pilots today perform manually.
Integration of the targeting pods and DSMS took place in Lockheed Martin's A-10 Systems Integration Lab (SIL) in Owego, NY, where A-10 pilots validated and refined the mechanization of the upgrade before official release of the software to ground and flight test. "The pilot reviews saved significant ground and flight test time," said Roger Il Grande, A-10 program director at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego. Built by Lockheed Martin in 2003, the SIL duplicates the aircraft's wiring and cabling infrastructure, and is outfitted with actual weapon hardware, missile seekers, suspension racks and rocket launchers to emulate an A-10 aircraft on the flight line.
July 25/05: A $9.1 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to provide for 72 A-10 aircraft precision engagement spiral 1 modification kits with 3 option years and associated test equipment. At this time, the total amount of funds has been obligated. Work will be complete at a rate of 6 per month beginning 13 months after receipt of order. Solicitation began July 2004 (FA8202-05-C-0004, PZ001).
June 28/05: Enertec America in Alpharetta, GA received a $15.3 million firm-fixed-price modification to provide for A-10 digital video and data recorders. Total funds have been obligated, negotiations were completed June 2005, and work will be complete by November 2006 (FA8202-04-C-0023, P00005).
Feb 22/05: A $28.5 million, firm fixed price, time and materials contract modification. This action provides for 60 each A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter precision engagement Spiral 1 modification kits, along with associated parts and test equipment. Solicitations began July 2004, negotiations were complete in July 2005, and work will begin 13 months after the exercising option and will refit 6 aircraft per month after that (FA8202-05-C-0004/P00002). DID coverage
Feb 17/05: A $37.8 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with Precision Engagement production kits to modify A/OA-10 "Warthog" close air support aircraft 72 each A/AO-10 Precision Engagement Spiral 1 Modification Kits and Associated Test Equipment. At this time, $28.3 million of the funds have been obligated. Solicitation began July 2004 (FA8202-05-C-0004). Lockheed Martin release.
The production kits, a result of work by Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Southwest Research Institute, are one component of the Precision Engagement program.
Feb 12/04: Lockheed Martin announces a contract to integrate the Sniper XR targeting pod on the A-10 aircraft in support of the A-10 Precision Engagement (PE) Program. The contract award follows a successful demonstration of the Sniper system during the A/OA-10 Precision Engagement upgrade program's critical design review.
As part of the integration effort, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will develop the Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), pod Operational Flight Program (OFP) software, and pod interface adapter hardware for the A-10. Upon completion of this effort, the Sniper XR pod will self-detect and automatically load the appropriate Operational Flight Program when installed on either the A-10, F-16 or F-15E airframes.
Feb 15/01: Lockheed Martin announces the contract win, stating that:
"The A/OA-10 Prime contract modification has an estimated value of $226 million, $74 million for the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase through 2004 with follow-on production at $152 million.
This innovative government and industry teamwork approach cost-effectively combines multiple A-10 upgrade requirements into one program that fits within current available funding and saves the U.S. Air Force approximately $150 million over the cost of executing the requirements as standalone projects. The Precision Engagement modification also provides the A-10 fleet with enhanced close-air support and precision strike capability earlier than originally planned.
During the EMD phase, the company's Aerospace Systems business unit will design, manufacture and test the Precision Engagement system. This effort involves the installation of a digital stores management system for cockpit interface with its weapon systems; new cockpit displays; a Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL) to provide accurate information about friendly forces and potential threats; a Direct-Current (DC) generator upgrade; and the integration of guided weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) along with future targeting pod integration. Follow-on efforts will then outfit the entire A-10 fleet."


Source : Defence Industry Daily (Defense News)
MILITARY PURCHASING NEWS FOR DEFENSE PROCUREMENT MANAGERS AND CONTRACTORS

(http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com)

Originally published March 31, 2005; last updated on April 4/07

Photo : http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com


(20.04.2007)