Land Force: Major role for Saab in the ADF’s future ground-based air defence | ADM Mar 2011
Tom Muir | Canberra
One may be forgiven for assuming that recent major investment in the counter rocket artillery and mortar (C-RAM) sensor and warning system, now in service with the ADF in Afghanistan, may represent an early start on the capabilities sought for the future Ground Based Air and Missile Defence (GBAMD) proposed under Land 19 Phase 7B.
The Giraffe AMB radar is certainly part of Defence’s vision for an enhanced air-land GBAMD capability, but for now the systems, whose acquisition is being fast tracked, are primarily aimed at enhancing the survivability of Australian and other ISAF forces, providing increased warning of an imminent attack to enable them to take appropriate shelter. Australia is not alone in employing this highly capable, agile multi-beam radar in this troop protection role.
Last year it was announced that Sweden, Britain and the US had jointly launched an important cooperation project on using radar to detect and warn of incoming rockets and grenades with the intention of improving the protection of troops inside the camps and bases during international operations.
Valid for seven years, the cooperation agreement allows the three countries to exchange experiences and technical data from the use of the radar systems used in anti-aircraft and artillery missions to improve the protection of the camps. The radar can detect rockets or mortars fired into the camp, compute their firing and landing points, and if warranted issue an automatic warning so troops can take cover, which dramatically reduces the risk of injury.
The three countries are all using the Giraffe AMB radar which was originally developed for Swedish air defence, and then exported to a number of countries. Fully fitted, the system includes capabilities for simultaneous air defence, air and sea surveillance, air/land integration, military air traffic control and rocket, artillery and mortar alert as well as weapon location. The device has an extendable mast with a radar sensor mounted on the top that can operate 360 degrees up to 24 hours a day.
According to Saab Systems Australia the purpose of this contract is to provide a fast tracked acquisition of a capability to detect incoming rockets, artillery and mortars in the vicinity of the Australian base at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. This will initiate a warning to personnel to take cover.
In addition to the Giraffe AMB radar, the ADF’s initial C-RAM 1 capability at Tarin Kowt includes the AN/TPQ-48 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar. Crewed by two soldiers the LCMR is designed to be deployed inside forward positions, in these circumstances it can immediately alert adjacent troops as well as pass target data to mortars close by for counter-fire.
Another sensor is the upgraded AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder weapon-locating radar system, which can now detect and track incoming rocket and mortar rounds. Once a threat is detected, audio and visual alarms sound to warn exposed soldiers to seek cover. A fire-control subsystem predicts the round’s flight path, prioritises targets, activates the warning system, and provides cueing data to defeat the mortar or other round while still in the air. Perhaps the Saab Arthur weapon locating system is also being acquired. Arthur is a stand-alone C-band medium-range weapon-locating system that detects and locates enemy fire. It utilises a passive phased-array antenna technology for optimised battlefield performance.
ADM understands that of the three truck-mounted Giraffe radar systems being procured for ADF land operations, one will be based at 16 Air Defence Regt at Woodside, South Australia for training while the other two will operate in conjunction with other Forward Operating Base (FOB) surveillance towers. ADM is not privy to whether these are US-sourced Coalition surveillance towers or the more advanced Australian FOB EYE tower (likely based on the Ultra Electronics Base Protection System) which provides persistent and expansive surveillance over localised areas thereby improving the detection and analysis of insurgency attacks and networks. Again the aim of FOB EYE is to protect personnel.
Australia is no stranger to the Giraffe radar. Saab’s naval surveillance radar Sea Giraffe is in operational service on the Australian and NZ Anzac Class frigates and is being supplied for the Australian Canberra class amphibious ships.
Current air defence capability
The ADF’s land based air defence capability is currently based on the 16 Air Defence Regiment’s two batteries, each comprising three troops of five fire units, operating relatively new or upgraded RBS-70 missile systems with the latest generation Bolide missile. This has an intercept range of about eight kilometres and a ceiling of about 15,000ft. The Bolide reaches a velocity of about Mach 2.2 (750/metres per second).
There have been improvements to the extant systems including acceleration and other advances which have lifted missile performance against high speed crossing, pop-up and other demanding targets. To defeat complex modern air threats, the Bolide also features a multi-role proximity fuse, selectable for threats like fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters, to smaller targets such as UAVs or cruise missiles.
Another improvement is the lightweight Borc night sight which incorporates a starring array sensor instead of a scanned array, providing greater resolution and consuming less battery power.
Also each troop is equipped with an extended range version of the portable surveillance and target acquisition radar (PSTAR) now with a range greater than 40 kilometres and much improved detection of targets in radar clutter.
But perhaps the most significant capability development is in the Tactical Command and Control System (TaCCS) which enables all radars linked to the Command Post (CP) to be networked to produce a single correlated local air picture and the instantaneous transmission of threat data to the terminal held by the weapon detachment commander.
Included in the system are terminals that display the Local Air Picture generated by TaCCS. These terminals can be located at a deployed Battle Group or Joint Task Force headquarters or at airspace control nodes enabling the conduct of both friendly and counter-air operations. Beyond this, radar feeds from other sources, such as RAAF surveillance radars, can be correlated to create the Recognised Air Picture.
Relevant to the foregoing is a Defence-funded project which is testing new technology with the aim of providing an enhanced common operating picture for ADF C4I system operators. Under a CTD program, Saab Technologies Australia has been contracted to conduct technology transfer and training in the Widely Integrated Systems Environment (WISE) software tool.
WISE, a Swedish software technology, facilitates connectivity between information systems such as the ADF’s Battlefield Command Support System, the GBAMD Tactical Command and Control System for air defence missile systems, NATO tactical data links 11 and 16 and the ANZAC naval combat management systems.
Saab’s Gerard Ogden says the company is working with the ADF and the DSTO to develop and disseminate a common operating picture from existing systems. “We are merging operating pictures from a range of maritime, land and aerospace systems to create a joint picture.”
Saab is aiming to demonstrate the potential of WISE to increase ADF capability through:
• increased connectivity between disparate C4I systems enabling information sharing in a joint environment:
• creation of a Joint Common Operating Picture through integration of existing maritime, land and air C4I systems;
• increased situation awareness for commanders and their staff enabling faster decision cycles and reducing the risk of fratricide;
The future GBAMD system
In deference to the wider range of threats, including missiles, the Phase 7B capability is now referred to as the GBAMD system, and may include new technologies such as directed-energy systems. To gain a better understanding of anti-air capabilities as part of the Phase 7 process, Defence conducted a global capability study (code for market survey), solicitations for which were released to industry worldwide in July 2008.
Defence received a total of 18 responses to the pre-tender capability study solicitation with three from Australian companies (whom ADM suspects included three of the following: Saab Systems, BAE Systems, Raytheon and Thales).
The evolving land force structure, based on mercuric battle groups, whose composition will vary according to operational demands, will require flexible, integrated, highly mobile air defence systems for their support. Operating independently, or as part of coalition or joint force operations, they must be capable of protecting small mobile combat teams, battle groups on-the-move or, as part of the wider Air Missile Defence (AMD) system.
According to the latest DCP the Land 19 Phase 7B capability (was 7A for the Giraffe purchase?) is a surface-to-air weapons system that will combine the components of airspace surveillance and identification, target tracking, target interception and destruction to provide an enhanced level of defence against threats consisting of fixed and rotary wing assets, unmanned aerial vehicles, stand-off weapons and rockets, artillery and mortar (RAM).
Phase 7B is likely to include technologies and weapon systems that will provide an enhanced level of protection (as opposed to defence) against RAM threats - hence ADM suspects this covers the recent sense and warning system acquisitions.
The capability will be managed by a C4I system capable of operating autonomously and/or within a Joint/Coalition Air and Missile Defence network. This capability will provide greater fidelity in Joint and Coalition airspace and contribute to ADF Airspace Management and Air Land Integration. The capability will deploy independently in support of the land force or as a component of the Joint and/or Coalition Integrated Air and Missile Defence System.
Initial Material Release will occur upon the completion and release of the supplies which are required to support the achievement of the Initial Operational Capability, the latter being defined later in the project development process. Full Operational Capability will occur when the full scope of the project, including the mission, support and training systems, and facilities, if required, have been delivered and accepted into operational service.
Acquisition strategy
ADM understands that the new system will be acquired in stages. First appears to be a new GBAMD command control communications and intelligence (C4I) and situational awareness system in the form of the recently acquired Giraffe AMB radars which include its ability to network with other ADF and coalition air battle systems like the Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems.
The GBAMD C4I system acquired for the ADF will be a shelter mounted radar system offering the crew ballistic protection, which can be rapidly deployed when needed. The Giraffe AMB can thereby continue its mission to provide air picture and at the same time warn own units and civilians of incoming rockets, artillery and mortars despite enemy actions.
The protected Giraffe AMB with appropriate battle management system will provide uninterrupted situational awareness and force protection, even in harsh climates.
Swedish firm Åkers Krutbruk Protection AB recently announced that it had received an order from Saab for protected shelters developed for the Giraffe AMB multi-mission radar system. Development has begun and contract deliveries to Saab will begin in mid-2011. The end user is the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). Thus the Giraffe AMB radar/C4I system will be a fully protected vehicle mounted system.
In respect of improvements to the legacy RBS-70 missile system, ADM believes Defence may look at limited enhancements to provide better land mobility and increased performance. A likely option would be to acquire the Saab Systems/Rheinmetal ASRAD-R launcher that combines the Saab Microwave Systems HARD 3D radar with the RBS-70’s legacy Bolide missile.
ASRAD-R (Advanced Short Range Air Defence System - RBS) is a German designed Unimog-mounted short-range surface-to-air missile system, using the Bolide laser-guided missile coupled to the Ericsson Microwave System HARD 3D radar.
The weapon system combines motorised agility and the ability to fire four RBS 70 missiles, however it is still no more than a short range air defence system perhaps more suited to comparatively low-level counter-insurgency or similar hostilities.
But the next stage of Land 19 Ph 7 will see the acquisition of a new C-RAM system designed to destroy incoming munitions. A most likely solution will be the Saab Bofors Dynamics Bamse all-weather, all-target, air defence missile system already fully integrated with the Giraffe AMB based C4I surveillance control centre.
It can be used against a range of threats including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aircraft, stand-off missiles, cruise and anti-radiation missiles and guided bombs. Bamse is effective against very small and very fast targets such as air-to-surface attack missiles. The system has all-weather capability and a target range that exceeds the stand-off distance of electro-optically controlled weapons. The system provides a target range over 15 kilometres and coverage to an altitude up to 15,000ft.
The Bamse firing battery includes a surveillance coordination centre and three missile control centres. The missile control centres are towed to position by a cross-country vehicle, which also carries a store of missiles for reloading. The system can be deployed and prepared for firing in less than ten minutes.
The Bamse surveillance control centre is fully integrated with and equipped with the Giraffe AMB surveillance radar and installed in a truck-mounted 20ft standard container, which is armoured to provide protection against fragmentation and against nuclear, biological and chemical warfare environments.
In operation the Giraffe AMB uses a ‘stacked beam’ antenna arrangement, with one wide beam for transmission and multiple narrow beams for simultaneous reception. This provides a target update rate of one per second, with an elevation coverage of more than 70°. The IFF transmit and receive units are mounted on the radar antenna.