B. PRECISION FORCE

1. Definition

Precision Force is the capability to destroy selected high-value and time-critical targets or inflict damage with precision while limiting collateral damage. This capability includes precision-guided munitions, surveillance, and targeting capabilities. It requires advances in sensors, C2 interoperability, battle management, and lethality. It also requires precision-guided munition enhancements for increased range, accuracy, and weapon effectiveness. Additionally, "sensor-to-shooter" C4I enhancements are necessary for responsive, timely force application. The C4I enhancements are included in the previous section on Information Superiority. Figure IV.B.1 shows a typical concept of Precision Force. Additional components include land- and sea-launched fighter and bomber aircraft, Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM), and naval gunfire.

Precision Force requires operational capability elements for mission planning, weapons employment, combat assessment, and C4I. Sub-elements exist within each of these operational capability elements and must be considered when identifying critical capabilities for Precision Force. Similarly, target acquisition, weapon system employment, and survivability sub-elements must be considered when addressing weapons employment.

3. Functional Capabilities

Precision Force operational capability elements are made possible by a number of functional capabilities. Figure IV.B.2 displays the linkages between operational and functional capabilities. These linkages enable the identification of the critical capabilities essential for employing Precision Force. As an example, the Precision Force Mission Planning Operational Capability Element is strongly dependent on, but not limited to, battlespace management, target prioritization, long-range sensors, and timely intelligence dissemination to the user. Weapon employment is strongly dependent on, but not limited to, weapon resource allocation, target prioritization, and precision weapon lethality.

Combat assessment, which is vital for gauging attack effectiveness, planning follow-up strikes, and assessing the enemy's ability to continue is strongly dependent on, but not limited to, 24-hour, all-weather sensors, responsive targeting and planning products, and counter-camouflage, concealment and deception penetration.

C4I data must be netted to the battlespace grid and into supporting segments of the grid. This is strongly dependent on, but not limited to, battlespace management, intelligence preparation of the battlefield, and the effective correlation and fusion of sensor data.

4. Current Capabilities, Deficiencies, and Barriers

Operational capability elements and current associated limitations are presented in Figure IV.B.3. Major deficiencies confronting the area of mission planning are the timely combat decision and resource allocation processes in relation to target cycle time, the detection of highly mobile targets in crowded mission space, slow processes for fusing various Service automated mission planning systems for target information, and time consuming and incomplete battle damage information and assessments.

Deficiencies affecting the area of weapons employment are the inability to satisfy the simultaneous need for sensor information, the limited ability of some sensors to acquire and track multiple targets; inadequate coordination of sensor information among battle managers, lack of an all-weather/day-night precision (3m CEP) weapon capability, sortie efficiency for attacks against hard, buried, and strategic targets, GPS jamming, and more affordable precision-guided munitions.

Deficiencies confronting the area of combat assessment revolve around timeliness (either real-time or near-real-time rather than the current capability of several hours) and accuracy. A major challenge is to counter an adversary's camouflage, concealment, and deception techniques to obtain accurate battle damage assessments and to measure weapons effectiveness.

Deficiencies in the C4I area focus on two trends. First is the need to handle ever-increasing amounts of information more quickly than ever before. Second is the steady integration of C4I functions into a modular "system-of-systems" architecture that maximizes information availability and aids the planners and warfighters in making the most effective use of that information. The ability to conduct rapid, accurate target study and selection requires substantial development, as does the ability to follow up attacks with comprehensive combat assessments. Technology that will facilitate the completion of real-time, collaborative planning both in the area of operations and at distributed staff locations must be a priority. To support planning improvements, staffs and commanders need to be able to track force status and execution. Rapid, precise strike planning will be improved by the development of a capability to quickly pair mission requirements, target locations, and physical characteristics to weapons delivery systems. The capability to better manage and integrate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance analysis will enhance the development of Precision Force development.

5. Technology Plan

The science and technology program to correct the deficiencies discussed in the previous section is shown in Figure IV.B.4. The Defense Technology Objectives (DTOs) that will provide the new capabilities are listed in Figure IV.B.5. The demonstrations of new capabilities are shown with the related operational capability elements in Figure IV.B.6, and the schedule for achieving the DTOs is shown in Figure IV.B.7.

The four ACTDs that address the deficiencies in the four Precision Force operational capability elements are Precision SIGINT Targeting (PSTS), Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI), Precision Rapid Counter Multiple Rocket Launcher (PRCMRL) and Survivable Armed Reconnaissance on the Digital Battlefield (SARDB). When the last of these ACTDs are completed and the operational capability element goals are achieved, a precision force cooperative engagement capability will have been demonstrated.

The PSTS and SARDB ACTDs address the C4I operational capability elements. By FY 1998, the PSTS ACTD will have demonstrated its objectives of worldwide capability for precision target location, rapid dissemination of data, and the integration of multiple data sources. The results of this ACTD will be used by the SARDB ACTD to meet its objectives. Both of these ACTDs will rely on the results of the Digital Battlefield Communications ATD, as well as a variety of key 6.2 and 6.3 supporting technologies, to meet their objectives.

The RFPI and PRCMRL ACTDs address the mission planning operational capability deficiencies. The RFPI ACTD will demonstrate increased lethality and survivability for light forces, precision munitions delivery beyond line of sight, and expanded mission space and faster operations tempo via modeling, simulation, and wargaming exercises. The PRCMRL ACTD will do the same for a Korean scenario. This will result in technologies and techniques to provide a real-time, fused, mission space picture to be developed and demonstrated by FY 2001. The Hunter Sensor Suite and EFOG-M are among the ATDs that support these ACTDs.

The weapons employment operational capability deficiencies are addressed primarily by the PRCMRL ACTD. A variety of weapons and platforms will be modeled and operations simulated as part of the Korean scenario, along with the associated ISR techniques. This will provide processing and linkages that enable rapid target search and acquisition, battle coordination and target selection, and handoff and engagement for the prosecution of time-critical targets.

The ATDs and supporting key technology efforts are advancing work on data fusion and combining automatic target recognition technologies with precision location so that weapons can find the types of target specified, or even the particular target, and guide a weapon to hit the target within a few feet of a designated impact point. The Air Force's hyperspectral sensor program is one approach; the use of three dimensional information from a laser radar is proving to be successful. A Navy initiative to destroy time-critical targets will demonstrate the capability to redirect missiles and attack aircraft while on a mission so as to exploit real-time retargeting.

A major focus is demonstrating Global Positioning System (GPS) applications to existing weapons, including the Tomahawk cruise missile and extended range-guided MLRS. GPS applications for new weapons are also being developed. Examples include a Navy effort to demonstrate an inexpensive cruise missile and an Air Force effort to develop small smart bomb technology. The Air Force Miniaturized Munition Technology guided flight test will demonstrate the use of GPS guidance on a small penetrator munition. This new capability will dramatically improve the sortie efficiency for attacks against all but the very hardest fixed targets. Another flight demonstration by the Air Force, called Anti-jam GPS Technology Flight Test (AGTFT), will demonstrate an affordable solution for protecting against an enemy jamming a GPS guided munition. This technology will be demonstrated on a JDAM vehicle in FY 1998.

The Army Guided MLRS program will increase the accuracy of the Extended Range MLRS rocket to a 3 mil system. The BAT Preplanned Product Improved (BAT P3I) will be delivered by Army TACMS Block II, the extended range Block IIa missiles, and MLRS rockets. BAT P3I utilizes acoustics, millimeter wave, and imaging infrared seekers while expanding the BAT target set to include cold, stationary armor, moving armor, SSMs, and MRLs. It includes a selectable warhead that will be switched to hard or soft target mode prior to impact. The BAT P3I is currently in the Dem Val Phase with two competing seeker concepts. The Air Force and Army are jointly pursuing another antimateriel munition called LOCAAS. LOCAAS uses a laser radar (LADAR) seeker to search, identify, and track ground mobile targets and attacks with a multimode warhead. LOCAAS is being designed for delivery in MLRS and from Air Force fighter and bomber aircraft.

The Air Force is also developing an expanded, more capable air command and control network based on the air operations center, but distributed to Airborne Command and Control Centers, the Airborne Warning and Control System, and the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System. These systems receive tactical information from their own sensors and from other intelligence platforms and processing systems, and can, in turn, rapidly direct combat elements to air superiority, ground attack, or interdiction missions.

In addition to addressing the deficiencies in two other operational capabilities, the SARDB ACTD also addresses the deficiencies in Combat Assessment. By linking the RAH-66 and UAV tactics, the issues of enroute threat updating and dynamic retasking will be addressed. This will provide the ability to determine near-real-time physical effects of force application to targets and quickly assess the impact on in-theater operations.

The Joint Precision Strike Demonstration includes the Integration and Evaluation Center (IEC), a simulation facility providing real, virtual, and constructive elements. It can use prerecorded and scripted events on a virtual battlefield. The IEC has a special capability to collect and record data during a demonstration, compute and display user-defined Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) in real time, and to provide for assessment and evaluation of critical Precision Strike parameters.

6. Summary

The integration of DTOs such as Sensor Fusion/Integrated Situation Assessment Technology, PRCMRL, Hammerhead, and RFPI will, over the period of time covered by the Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP), provide a greater ability to accurately locate, identify, and destroy nearly all classes of targets. By FY 2003, a Precision Force cooperative engagement capability will be demonstrated. Figure IV.B.8 shows the progressive introduction of each DTO to provide the desired capability by the end of the FYDP.