Air ForceAir ForceElectronic Warfare Electronic Warfare

Evaluation SimulatorEvaluation Simulator(AFEWES)(AFEWES)

Presented by

Lt Col Seth D. Shepherd, USAF

Organization / LocationAFEWES reports to the 412th Test Wing/Electronic Warfare Directorate. The 412th Test Wing is part of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California. The AFEWES facility is located at Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, Texas.

AFEWES is a Government-owned Contractor-operated test facility. Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics Company currently operates and maintains the AFEWES facility.

Contact Information:

Fort Worth:

412 TW/OL-ABAF Plant 4, Box 371, MZ-1100Ft. Worth TX 76101-0371(817) 763-4856 DSN 838-5856

Edwards Air Force Base:

412 TW/EW31 Hoglan AvenueEdwards Air Force Base CA 93524(661) 275-7610 DSN 525-7610

AFEWES

AFFTC

• AFEWES performs effectiveness and/or integration testing of electronic warfare systems and techniques in a simulated Infrared (IR) and Radio Frequency (RF) threat environment.

• AFEWES test capabilities enable understanding of aircraft versus threat system engagements. EW system effectiveness is used to support acquisition, employment, and tactics decisions for US and allied armed forces.

AFEWES Mission

AFEWES Supports U.S. and Allied Governments’ Quest for Increasing Aircraft Survivability

AFEWES Threat SimulationsHigh-fidelity RF simulations of essentially all semi-active RF SAMs which pose a threat to US and allied aircraft: • Classic Semi-Active Guidance • Seeker-Aided Ground Guidance (SAGG)

High-fidelity IR simulations of most IR threats faced by US and allied aircraft: • Red and Gray MANPADS• IR Air-to-Air Missiles• Vehicle-Mounted IR SAMs

AFEWES develops and operates high-fidelity Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) RF and IR simulations of Surface-to-Air (SAM) and Air-to-Air (AAM) missiles.

A vigorous, systematic Verification & Validation (V&V) process is ongoing to quantify the fidelity and accuracy of all AFEWES RF and IR threat simulations. This process is overseen by an IPT

representing Intelligence Centers, Government Laboratories, Developmental and Operational Test Agencies, and Threat Experts from across DoD.

The intent of this V&V process is to ensure that AFEWES simulations are credible and appropriate for determining EW system effectiveness.

EW Systems/Techniques Evaluated

AFEWES simulations support evaluation of several different types of electronic warfare equipment such as:• Onboard RF Jammers• Towed Decoys• Radar Warning Receivers• Self-Protect Chaff• Integrated RWR & Countermeasures• Aircraft Maneuvers• Lamp and LASER IR Jammers • Conventional, Thrusted, and Aerodynamic

Flares

AFEWES testing is appropriate throughout the acquisition cycle from initial concept, through developmental and operational test and evaluation, operational deployment, to evaluation of hardware upgrades and assessing performance against the evolving threat.

Evaluations are made using actual US or allied EW system hardware or appropriate surrogate models or simulators.

Testing is accomplished at real-time, actual frequency/wavelength in a highly instrumented, real-time environment supporting fully dynamic engagements. AFEWES offers same-day test data availability and is certified as HLA compliant.

AFEWES Simulation Precise Vector GeometryFlight characteristics of each AFEWES threat simulation are represented with a 6 degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) real-time fly-out model developed in close coordination with US intelligence agencies.

Accurate vector geometry is necessary to understand IR and RF engagement outcomes. The vector separation between the missile and target as well as the orientation of each are accurately represented throughout the weapon fly-out. A primary result of the simulation is

the determination of vector missile miss distance. Miss distance is essential to understanding the engagement outcome -- a critical part of assessing EW system effectiveness and aircraft survivability.

AFEWES RF System TestingAFEWES Testing Evaluates Receiver Discrimination and Transmitted EW Technique Effectiveness utilizing three classes of RF testing.

Open-Loop T&E– One-way path from threat

simulation to EC System– Receiver / Processor

Testing

Closed-Loop T&E– Two-way path from threat to

EW system and EW system to threat

– Defensive countermeasures testing

Combined Open & Closed-Loop T&E

– Individual threats embedded in complex, distributed RF laydowns

– Dense environment EW system effectiveness

RF Open-Loop System Testing

RF/MMWReceiver

Under Test

Airborne Emitters

expands this capability to 217 emitters of hostile, neutral, and friendly signals.

RF coverage is available from 0.5 to 18.0 GHz, 30 to 40 GHz, and 90 to 100 GHz amplitude AOA only. If required, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency-based terrain masking effects can also be included..

AFEWES offers a versatile, realistic dense RF environment. Testing of RF/Millimeter Wave (MMW) receivers, Radar Warning Receivers, and the receiver processors of ECM systems, is accomplished using the Multiple Emitter Generator (MEG). The MEG can generate realistically dense, theater-

specific emitter laydowns with a one-half second scenario update rate. Avast array of scenario instrumentation options is available.

Seventy-three (73) dedicated instantaneous sources/emitters are provided with up to 20 complex waveform (PD) sources. Multiplexing

RF Closed-Loop System Testing.

Rear Reference Direct RaySeeker Clutter

Rear Reference Clutter

• OAR or Digital• Terrain, site-specific, generic,

JEM• All Aspect RCS

(scintillation/glint)• SUT or simulated• Angle/Doppler track loop• High fidelity antenna patterns• Guidance computer• Real-time flight kinematics

TTRClutter

Target Signature

EC System Seeker

Missile / target

Simulation Attributes Provide Engagement Fidelitywith High Throughput (100+ runs/day)

the AFEWES threat simulations through RF wave guides. Alternately, the JammEr Techniques Simulator (JETS) is used to generate certain classes of EW waveforms if actual equipment is unavailable.

AFEWES RF Closed-Loop threat simulations are based on an iterative, real-time solution of the radar range equation, based on the aircraft and missile flight paths. Databases representing the radar cross section (RCS) of the victim aircraft, the transmit and receive antenna pattern

characteristics of the System Under Test (SUT), and threat antenna characteristics provide inputs to simulation.

Actual EW systems can be placed in a secure shield room and interfaced to

RF Combined Open andClosed-Loop System Testing

Decoy Airborne Emitters

AFEWES evaluates these systems with imbedded closed-loop high-fidelity RFSAMs in an spatially distributed, real frequency emitter laydown. Combined open and closed-loop test and evaluation enables effectiveness assessment of the overall EC system in a realistically stressing dense RF environment.

1. detect the hostile threat environment,

2. identify and prioritize detectedthreat systems,

3. allocate available jamming resources to the highest priority threats, and

4. activate defensive countermeasures.

EW system effectiveness is a function of battlefield environment. AFEWES offers high fidelity threats imbedded in dense RF/MMW environment. Some RF ECM systems contain receivers, signal processing, and transmitter systems to:

AFEWES RF Direction• Some advanced RF

SAMs employ a specialized guidance principle known as Seeker-Aided Ground Guidance (SAGG). The SAGG guidance technique combines semi-active seeker inputs within the tracking loop, which is closed in the ground-based guidance computer, not in the airborne seeker as would be the case in a pure semi-active missile.

• To address the effectiveness of EW techniques against these advanced systems, AFEWES and an OAR are pursuing non-real-time interface techniques to integrate simulated radar and missile seeker information to support T&E methods appropriate to evaluate EW techniques against these advanced systems.

Radar TrackingFunction

Radar TrackingRadar TrackingFunctionFunction

AntennaPointingAntennaAntennaPointingPointing

Up-linkCommandsUpUp--linklinkCommandsCommands

MissilePrep DataMissileMissilePrep DataPrep Data

SeekerDownlink

SeekerSeekerDownlinkDownlink

Target Target Target

BeaconBeaconBeacon

AIRAIR GROUNDGROUND

Guidance ComputerGuidance ComputerGuidance Computer

Missile Tracking and Guidance FunctionMissile Tracking and Guidance FunctionMissile Tracking and Guidance Function

TER TER TER

Missile Missile Launch/Launch/TrackTrack

TargetTargetTrackTrack

AlgorithmsAlgorithms

AcquisitionAcquisitionRadarRadar

TargetTargetReceiverReceiver

ProcessorProcessor

MissileMissileReceiverReceiver

ProcessorProcessor

MissileMissileTrackTrack

AlgorithmsAlgorithms

MissileMissileGuidance/Guidance/Seeker Seeker ControlControl

Integrated OAR-HITL Concept

with target radar cross section, antenna pattern information, jammer waveforms and timing, as well as other relevant data are convolved to create time correlated RF energy which is provided to the HITL simulator via RF waveguide. The HITL seeker simulator is allowed to provide real-time signals to the guidance computer which gives commands to a validated real-time flyout of the missile. The output of the HITL testing is vector miss-distance.

Test missions will be flown on an OAR. Time correlated data from these OAR flights will then be brought into the HITL facility in an Interface Control Document (ICD) format. The data is fed into the HITL to enable representation of the functions of the radar illuminator, clutter, electronic warfare system modes and timing, target aircraft time-space-position information (TSPI) during OAR flight. This information, along

Aircraft Data•Position & Velocity•Attitude•ECM Data

•Power•Modes

Radar Data•Track History•Mode Words•Launch Solution

Terrain DataTerrain DataInterfaceControl

Document(ICD)

The OAR Piece The HITL Piece

RESULT

ICDData

from OAR

Ground Radar DataRF

Generator

ClutterSimulator

HITLMissile

Simulation

HITLMissile

Simulation

IntegratedEngagements

Multiple Launches* Locations * Times

VectorMiss DistanceTerrain

Data GuidanceComputerJEM, Glint,

ScintillationJEM, Glint,Scintillation

RF Scene

Aircraft Data

DigitalMissileFlyout

Target RCS

Antenna Patterns

Radome Effects

SUTECM RF Waveform

EC

M M

ode/

Pow

er

AFEWES IR System Testing•AFEWES evaluates countermeasures techniques to determine effectiveness and optimize flare timing, jam codes, etc.

IRCM as f(Time-to-Go) is Critical

Meets ORD / Fails ORD

Kinematic

Flare Conventional

Flares

VerticalFlares

DirectionalLamp/LASE

RJammer

Realistic closed-loop simulations of many IR Surface-to-Air and Air-to-Air missiles are available to evaluate the effectiveness of active and expendable IR countermeasures.

AFEWES simulations are used to perform optimization and effectiveness testing of conventional and kinematic flares, directed lamp and LASER jammers, and combinations of these techniques.

AFEWES IR Test ApproachAFEWES simulation attributes provide engagement fidelity with high throughput; 100 plus runs per day. The AFEWES IR HITL simulation uses a 9-axis CARCO flight motion simulator to provide accurate representation of missile and target motion. The IR foreground presents the radiometric

Capabilities:• Up to 8 Arclamp / Blackbody Sources• Multiple LASER Source Locations on

Target Aircraft• Individual Power / Shadow Control • Moving Fiducial Point Tracking (for

Large Aircraft)• Integration of Actual LASER CM

Hardware Possible• Real-time Missile /Target Kinematics

High Frequency Response Foreground

(8 independent sources)

Missile seeker on Motion Table

72” Off-AxisCollimator

signature of the target aircraftIncluding IR countermeasures (flares, lamp or LASER jammers).

A customer-provided production representative LASER or a surrogate LASER is reflected into the optical path to evaluate the

effectiveness of laser jamming techniques. Multiple LASER transmission heads can be represented on the target aircraft. LASER pointing instability, pointing errors, vibration, and other losses are represented by appropriate dynamic attenuation of the beam.

Reduced aircraft signatures, increased sensitivity of modern IR threat systems to extended aircraft signatures, and development of extended IR expendable countermeasures drive the need to upgrade the AFEWES IR background scene.

Development of the new AFWEWS IR background projector is under way. The new capability will be based on the Honeywell Wideband Infrared Scene Projector (WISP) resistor array. The WISP is a 512x512 IR emitter array that operates at up to 200 Hz refresh rate and produces 700 Kelvin apparent pixel temperature with very high uniformity across the array.

IR scene generator candidates are being explored. The scene generator must run in real time and produce the scene content that the threat missile will see during the engagement.

AFEWES IR DirectionThe intent of this upgrade effort is enable optical combination of the output of the new resistive array-based background with the current AFEWES IR foreground.

This capability will allow simultaneous representation of laser IRCM and conventional flares as well as area flares and extended source targets and scene content.

AFEWES Physical FacilityAFEWES Provides a Secure, Flexible Facility that Meets DoD and Allied Customer Needs

Meeting DoD and Allied EW Test Needs

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS:CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: Refined Defensive Countermeasures in support of Refined Defensive Countermeasures in support of Strategic Reconnaissance overflights of CubaStrategic Reconnaissance overflights of Cuba

VIETNAM WAR:VIETNAM WAR: Extensive T&E of Tactical & Strategic Defensive systemsExtensive T&E of Tactical & Strategic Defensive systemsFF--4, F4, F--105, B105, B--52, F52, F--111, EA111, EA--6B6BAccurately predicted LINEBACKER attritionAccurately predicted LINEBACKER attritionHAVE DART AirHAVE DART Air--toto--Air EvaluationAir Evaluation

STRATEGICSTRATEGICRECONNAISSANCERECONNAISSANCE:: Recurring T&E throughout the COLD WARRecurring T&E throughout the COLD WARMIDMID--EAST CONFLICT:EAST CONFLICT: Developed IRCM/Employment strategy for civilian aircraftDeveloped IRCM/Employment strategy for civilian aircraftEL DORADO CANYON:EL DORADO CANYON: Developed cooperative ECM techniques for escort aircraft Developed cooperative ECM techniques for escort aircraft

employed during retaliatory strike against Libyaemployed during retaliatory strike against LibyaDESERT STORM:DESERT STORM: Virtually all US and Coalition EC Systems proven effective in Virtually all US and Coalition EC Systems proven effective in

Operation Desert Storm were evaluated at AFEWESOperation Desert Storm were evaluated at AFEWESBOSNIA:BOSNIA: Recreated/analyzed conditions responsible for the Recreated/analyzed conditions responsible for the

shootshoot--down of Fdown of F--16 on peacekeeping mission16 on peacekeeping missionOptimized IR Warning/Response for transports performing Optimized IR Warning/Response for transports performing

airlift operationsairlift operationsKOSOVO:KOSOVO: QRC Evaluation of Advanced RF countermeasures for QRC Evaluation of Advanced RF countermeasures for

multiple transport aircraftmultiple transport aircraftENDURING FREEDOM:ENDURING FREEDOM: Evaluated IR flare and LASER countermeasure effectiveness for Evaluated IR flare and LASER countermeasure effectiveness for

US and allied aircraft against MANPADsUS and allied aircraft against MANPADs

AFEWES

A Vital Part of the Electronic Warfare Test Process