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APPENDIX C

CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS

Upon Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) notification, the Joint STARS can support contingency operations worldwide. Figure C-1 shows examples of worldwide deployment. This support includes--

Joint STARS provides battle management support through situation development and target development. For situation development, Joint STARS can alert the commander as to enemy intentions if US Forces are going to land or be inserted into a potentially hostile area. Joint STARS can tell the commander if hostile forces are moving to reinforce, preparing to attack, or if they are withdrawing. The commander then, faced with the dilemma of having to balance his force, will know where it is relatively safe to enter vice where enemy forces have massed to eject US Forces.

For target development, Joint STARS gives the commander a long-range capability to assist the targeting process early. Joint STARS, because of its deep and continuous-look capability, gives decisionmakers and target planners more response time. Joint STARS gives the commander the real-time capability for targeting.

For example, in a contingency operation where Joint STARS is in support, the commander has a brigade sized force which he is going to insert in the vicinity of a major seaport. The Joint STARS aircraft has been on-station for the past 3 days gathering real-time data to give to the decisionmakers a picture of what hostile forces await them and where these forces may be.

On the day of the insertion Joint STARS is flying. The USAF has also scrambled a squadron of F-15E's in support of the ground commander. The Joint STARS aircraft sees 3 separate 50-vehicle convoys each about 75 km out from the insertion zone with tracked and unknown vehicles heading towards the insertion zone. Special Forces units on the ground send a burst transmission to the joint force command confirming that all three convoys are carrying armed soldiers in trucks and armored personnel carriers.

Joint STARS radar data is processed and analyzed on the aircraft, a target track is then sent via the JTIDS link to the AOC. At the AOC, the Joint STARS data and intelligence from other sources is quickly correlated. The AOC contacts the F-15E squadron to interdict these 3 columns before they can come into contact with the brigade about to be inserted. The F-15E squadron commander then gets on the net with the Joint STARS aircraft and asks for target updates. The Joint STARS O&C operators are now authorized from the AOC to talk directly to the ABCCC aircraft, also in sector.

The ABCCC will in turn provide targeting instructions to the F-15E squadron. The Joint STARS O&C operators provide target updates to the squadron via the ABCCC until enemy forces are in visual contact by the fighters. The F-15E squadron destroys all 3 enemy columns before they have a chance to disrupt the brigade insertion. The brigade insertion takes place as planned with no friendly casualties resulting.

JOINT STARS CONTINGENCY MISSION

Upon notification from the JCS, Joint STARS will deploy in support of US Forces. Figure C-2 shows a Joint STARS contingency mission deployment.

Initially, 1 GSM team is in support of the senior support headquarters, 1 GSM team to the AOC, and 1 GSM goes to the senior subordinate maneuver command. Follow-on GSMs go to senior maneuver headquarters. Again, 3 GSM teams and 2 aircraft crews are available to deploy on a worldwide basis within 30 days of notification.

Additionally, a small operational detachment headquarters echelon may deploy with the team and the crews. This section can monitor specific Army and maneuver surveillance, targeting, or attack control tasks and requirements for timely incorporation into the daily mission profiles in the ATO.

They will also establish and maintain coordination between the senior supported headquarters and the AOC and BCE to ensure Joint STARS mission requirements are included in the ATO and are accomplished. The detachment commander can ensure that Army mission tasks and requirements are included in the Air Mission Profile. The operational detachment headquarters echelon reports debriefs and mission results to the senior supported headquarters for mission evaluation, continuing analysis, and future mission development.

EXAMPLES OF CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS SUPPORT

Joint STARS has deployed in support of the US military to Southwest Asia, as shown in Figure C-3.

Joint STARS has deployed to the crisis area with AWACS and is conducting surveillance of the area in preparation for the arrival of US combat forces. In Figure C-4, Joint STARS provides real-time intelligence and targeting support to the US Forces entering the crisis area.

US Forces have now entered a friendly adjacent country and begin to build up their forces. Joint STARS mission tasks are shown in Figure C-5.

Now US Forces have built up in sufficient strength and begin a counteroffensive. Joint STARS mission tasks are shown in Figure C-6.

Joint STARS could also support US Forces conducting operations from the sea, as shown in Figure C-7. Here the Joint STARS aircraft is deployed and the AOC and BCE have established an operational element on board a naval aircraft carrier off the coast of a hostile country.

Joint STARS will send its radar data via JTIDS to the aircraft carrier to expedite the intelligence and targeting process. The AOC and BCE will forward this to the appropriate air or ground forces. Joint STARS could also deploy one GSM in a nearby friendly country linked via TROJAN SPIRIT or other SATCOM means and relay real-time intelligence and targeting data to USN or USMC Forces.