FORCE PROJECTION

conflict to general war. Combat Talon I will perform a broad range of complementary missions using airdrop or airland of personnel and equipment, aerial refueling to extend range and increase surprise, and terrain following radar to allow terrain masking from enemy threats.

b. STATUS: Lockheed is providing C-130H airframes modified with aerial refueling capabability, a high-speed low-level aerial delivery system, explosion and fire suppressed fuel systems, and special lighting equipment. IBM has developed an integrated avionics system to provide terrain following, terrain avoidance radar, precision navigation, secure communications, and electronic counter measures capability. Five aircraft are already on contract funded by Fiscal Year 1982 through Fiscal Year 1985 appropriations. Two aircraft are planned for Fiscal Year 1986. First flight is now scheduled for January 1987, and the initial operational unit will receive the first five aircraft in March 1988 upon completion of the qualification and operational flight test and evaluation.

7. AC-130

a. MISSION: The AC-130 gunship provides Special Operations Forces (SOF) with precision fire support and is a long range attack aircraft with extensive loiter time over the target coupled with an immediate capability to detect, identify, record and destroy targets. Although the gunship's primary mission is special operations/unconventional warfare, its unique capabilities permit the AC-130 to perform the conventional roles of close air support, armed reconnaisance and base defense. The gunship's multimission capability was successfully demostrated during the recent Grenada contingency operation where the AC-130 interdicted key enemy communication sites, destroyed enemy antiaircraft gun positions, provided close air support for the invasion force, and performed around the clock surveillance of the battlefield.

b. STATUS: The intent of the acquisition program is to allow replacement of the 10 aging and difficult to support AC-130A gunships for 12 new, reliable, and maintainable aircraft. To prepare for a Fiscal Year 1987 new start, the Air Force released a Request For Information (RFI) to industry on October 18, 1985 asking for configuration proposals, cost estimates, and delivery schedules. The Air Force will use the responses to the RFI to draft a Request For Proposal with a target release date of June 1986. The source selection is tentatively scheduled for completion by December 15, 1986 with award of contract before the end of 1986. As in the MC-130H program, the Air Force will procure the C-130 airframes from the Georgia Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and compete the avionics and weapon systems integration. The initial aircraft will be a prototype with testing completed by 1990. Initial deliveries will begin in 1991 with full operational capability in early 1993.

X. TEST AND EVALUATION

A. Improved Capability for Development Test and Evaluation

1. MISSION: With increased emphasis on testing, there is a need to provide the capability to adequately test and evaluate current and future weapons and support systems. This program acquires and installs new test range and instrumentation systems for developmental test. These improvement and modernization projects are installed at our major test facilities: The Arnold Engineering and Development Center in Tennessee, the Air Force Armament Division in Florida, the Air Force Flight Test Center in California, and the 4950th Test Wing in Ohio. Major new starts include the HAVE LINK program and the Cruise Missile Mission Control Aircraft (CMMCA) programs. All activities are coordinated through the DoD Major Range and Test Facility Base Planning Function.

2. STATUS: The HAVE LINK program responds to OSD direction to protect weapon system design information and test data as it is being transmitted from test systems on DoD ranges. In Fiscal Year 1987 we will address the most urgent vulnerabilities and fund the quick fixes having the highest payoffs in terms of operations and communications security. As vulnerabilities are identified we will develop fixes.

The CMMCA will augment the present cruise missile test support fleet. The two CMMCA aircraft when operational will support approximately 80 cruise missile test missions per year. This projected workload is beyond the capability of the present test support fleet. This national resource will support all West Coast and Canadian cruise missile testing. These aircraft will provide telemetry support, mission control functions, radar safety chase, and flight following capabilities. These aircraft will permit testing in instrument meterological conditions, not presently possible, allowing for optimum use of range times. In the second quarter of Fiscal Year 1987, we will release the request for proposal to convert two inventory C-18 aircraft to the CMMCA configuration. We expect contract award in the third quarter. The first aircraft will be operational in Fiscal Year 1989 and the second in Fiscal Year 1990.

Another major activity in Fiscal Year 1987 is the application of Global Position System (GPS) technology to provide Time-Space Positioning Information. Under this Tri-Service effort, we plan to miniaturize and configure GPS receivers and translators to interface with test and training vehicles. When operational at test and training ranges, the system will improve accuracy and coverage of range instrumentation, reduce the number of ground-based tracking sites, and enhance inter-range compatibility. In Fiscal Year 1985 we successfully flew a demonstration pod to test receivers, antennas, and packaging concept. Full scale development will be during Fiscal Year 1986. Following a successful critical design review we will award a contract for production prototype hardware for the Air Force's Gulf Drone Control Upgrade System and the Army's Mobile Automated Field Instrumentation System. In Fiscal Year 1987 and Fiscal Year 1988 we will test the prototype systems. We expect to begin low-rate, initial production during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 1988.

Numerous smaller efforts are also included in this program. All activities are geared toward upgrading data processing, telemetry and test instrumentation systems, and upgrade of our advanced range instrumentation aircraft.

Of

TEST AND EVALUATION

B. Test and Evaluation Support

1. MISSION: This program provides the resources for the test support technical functions at Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) test facilities. These facilities are part of the Department of Defense Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB). These facilities support Air Force, other Services, government agencies, and commercial industry. Many capabilities at these facilities do not exist elsewhere. These test facilities are: the Arnold Engineering and Development Center, the Air Force Armament Division, the Air Force Flight Test Center, and the 4950th Test Wing.

2. STATUS: The Arnold Engineering and Development Center provides ground environment test support for aeronautical, missile and space programs utilizing wind tunnels, altitude rocket cells, aeroballistic ranges, altitude engine test cells, and space chambers. Programs supported include the F-15, F-16 ATF aircraft, F100/F110 engines, the Strategic Defense Initiative, Peacekeeper, Small ICBM, and the Space Shuttle. The Aeropropulsion Test Facility and the Captive Trajectory Support System will be operational in early Fiscal Year 1986. The Fiscal Year 1987 funds provide the institutional portion for the Center's technical support mission.

The Armament Division (AD) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida is the prime Air Force organization charged with nonnuclear armament development. AD is the focal point for integrating munitions onto aircraft. This Division conducts and supports weapon effectiveness testing, electronic combat testing, and electronic surveillance and control testing. AD conducts more than 550 test projects per year. One of the more unique facilities is the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. We can perform environmental tests on a complete aircraft. In Fiscal Year 1987, Armament Division's 50 instrumented ranges and 43 aircraft will support nearly 625 different programs.

The Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California conducts and supports development test and evaluation and operational test and evaluation of aircraft and aircraft systems, aerospace research vehicles such as the X-29, cruise missiles and provides support for the Space Shuttle. The flight test center operates several highly instrumented ranges and the USAF Test Pilot School. The center has firm customer forecasts for Fiscal Year 1987 which show continuation of the testing surge that began in Fiscal Year 1984. Programs that will be supported include the B-1B, F-15E, LANTIRN, X-29A, ASAT, and the F-20. We will begin the Short Takeoff and Landing and Maneuvering Technology Program testing activities.

The 4950th Test Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio performs flight tests of aircraft and airborne systems and supports space vehicle tracking with the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft. The Test Wing can conduct full scale engineering evaluations, airborne instrumentation, and data reduction. The Test Wing's modification facilities accomplish Class II modifications to AFSC test aircraft. This facility is converting C-18 (used commercial Boeing 707 aircraft) to the EC-18B ARIA configuration. During Fiscal Year 1987, the Test Wing will continue to support DoD and NASA missile and space programs such as the Trident, the Space Shuttle, and Pershing II, and will become involved with programs such as the Mark XV Identification Friend or Foe system, the Advanced Tactical Radar, and the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System. The tempo is upbeat; the seven aircraft ARIA fleet alone will stage out of 13 overseas bases in support of NASA.