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Stories: Electronic Warfare and Radar | Collaboration to help out | DSTO study of crew fatigue |

Electronic Warfare and Radar

Controlling the Electronic Warfare Battlespace

By Dr Len Sciacca

Dr Len Sciacca, Chief Electronic Warfare and Radar Division, DSTO.
Photo provided by DSTO

Electronic Warfare (EW) technology has been around since electronic communication and radar was used in the World War II. Moreover, the sophistication of EW and radar has steadily increased as the threat environment has changed and technology has advanced. EW and radar technology is never static and to ensure the Australian Defence Force (ADF) keeps pace with weapon and threat system technologies, Defence Science and Technology Organisation's (DSTO) Electronic Warfare and Radar Division (EWRD) has developed a comprehensive research and development (R&D) program that supports the dynamic nature of EW and radar.

Divisional responsibilities

The evolving nature of EW is what shapes the science and technology in the EWRD. Firstly, the division must maintain a strong applied research and development program with links to a fundamental long range research program so that it is prepared for the future threat environment. Secondly, the division must maintain a continuous threat analysis and countermeasure development program. These two components form the backbone of the division and provide the basis for front-line operational support to the ADF. Although the division has a technology focus, in recent years we have looked increasingly at the integration of EW and its effective use in complex environments.

EWRD has become a critical source of expertise for current-generation and future EW and Radar systems for the ADF. Moreover, the technology and techniques developed in the division can be used as "currency" in our dealings with allies. We bring this technology to the negotiating table in order to gain access to advanced technology through sharing intellectual property or often through joint development.

Since 2000 the demand for EW technology and expertise has increased in the ADF with the high tempo of operations. Our transport planes, helicopters, jet fighters and frigates cannot effectively participate in Coalition operations in the Middle East for instance, without EW equipment that provides protection against shoulder-launched MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defence Systems) or other ground- and air-launched weapons. This requirement alone has placed significant pressure on DSTO to assist in the rapid insertion of EW equipment on aircraft and the development of effective countermeasures to be programmed into the kit by the ADF's Joint EW Support Unit (JEWOSU).

Particularly in the past five years JEWOSU and DSTO have formed a close partnership in delivering the Countermeasures Development and Validation (CMD&V) program with rolling upgrades and EW integration onto ADF platforms before they enter hostile environments. CMD&V is a rigorous process that relies heavily on DSTO to provide the specialist science and technology (S&T) expertise in a wide range of disciplines including radar, radio-frequency (RF) and electro-optic (EO) platform signatures, pyrotechnics and threat system characterisation. This expertise is developed through a solid R&D program.

The Wedgetail, Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.
Photo provided by DSTO

Program strengths

The EW R&D program has particular strengths in solid-state and fibre-laser technology, high-power fibre delivery and RF photonic links. The EW researchers have broken world records in high-efficiency, solid-state Thulium lasers and the world's first fluoride glass microstructure fibre. A fundamental research program has been established in these areas in conjunction with the University of Adelaide through a Centre of Expertise in Photonics.

Signal processing in the Electronic Support (sensing) discipline is also of a world standard, with strong interest from the United States (US) in our Specific Emitter Identification research. This is a new area with important ramifications for a wide range of applications, both within and outside defence.

And then there was radar

In 2001 the microwave radar discipline was integrated into what was EW Division in DSTO. For the past five years the microwave radar and EW research programs have been integrated, with significant benefits to both areas. Demand for radar expertise in recent years has also increased with the F18 HUG, the acquisition of Wedgetail AEW&C, phased arrays on the ANZACs, and a need to understand the requirements for JSF and AIR7000 radar systems.

The radar branch consists of the following core elements:

• electronic protection—the development of techniques to reduce the radar's susceptibility to jamming or Electronic Attack (EA);
• radar signatures—the ability to predict, measure and manage the radar signatures of platforms (air, land and sea);
• airborne radar—signal processing and radar architectures for airborne early-warning and control-phased array radar, airborne surveillance and jet fighter radars;
• naval radar—expertise in the signal processing for naval radars and phased array radars.

Underpinning these disciplines is a strong phased array research program along with a radar testing and RF measuring capability, including a large turntable capable of spinning a 737 for radar cross-section measurements.

DSTO's microwave radar S&T program has particular strengths in three fundamental research areas: adaptive phased array radar, waveform design, and sensor scheduling. This research is funded jointly by DSTO and the US agency Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency through a Centre of Expertise in Networked Decision and Sensor Systems at the University of Melbourne. The research is considered world class and now has strong links with several universities in the United States including Princeton.

Recently a new Centre of Expertise in Phased Array and Microwave Radar was established at the University of Adelaide. This centre will undertake research in advanced phased array technology for EW and radar, including novel distributed aperture techniques, Space Time Adaptive Processing and phased array architectures for future adaptive sensor systems. Already both centres have attracted significant interest from around the world, including US Air Force, Army and Navy research agencies.

The Future of EW and Radar

Traditionally EW is thought of as reactive. A missile is launched at a platform and EW is used to help protect the platform in the terminal stage of the engagement. The complexity of the warfighting environment is driving change in this approach and EWRD is shifting its EW S&T program into a new paradigm of "proactive EW". EW is being used more and more to deny the enemy the ability to undertake surveillance or to do targeting. EW is therefore being used to shape the battlespace and influence where the enemy will position their weapons or surveillance systems.

EW will do this through the use of distributed and coordinated Electronic Sensing (ES) and EA. EWRD has recently been experimenting with distributed EW and has demonstrated a fleet of UAVs fitted with ES and EA equipment undertaking coordinated geolocation of threats and engaging the threat with EA, effectively suppressing its surveillance and/or targeting capability.

There are now a number of exciting opportunities in EW and radar, with EWRD developing the core technologies for future advanced laser-based IR Countermeasures (the OZDIRCM), EW systems for UAV-based distributed EW and adaptive radar techniques, which would have application to a wide range of naval and airborne phased array systems. EWRD is also assisting the ADF to move into a new regime of CMD&V with advanced modelling and hardware in the loop capability through the Survivability Integration Laboratory. The laboratory is a unique world-class facility that will change the way we test and integrate EW into the ADF.

Dr Len Sciacca is Chief of ERWD in DSTO, Edinburgh, South Australia.

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DSTO study of crew fatigue

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is undertaking a major study into crew fatigue and performance for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The study is a collaborative effort between Maritime Platforms Division (MPD), Human Performance and Protection Division (HPPD) and Maritime Operations Division (MOD).

DSTO researcher, Paul Elischer said the purpose of the study is to identify and quantify the major contributors to fatigue in the maritime environment, and the ramifications of fatigue on crew and operational performance and safety. He said crew fatigue is recognised as a serious problem within Navy. "It can affect crew and operational performance, mission outcome, and lead to occupational health and safety issues."

The DSTO study began in late January and will be conducted over a three–month period onboard two Survey Motor Launches, HMAS Benalla and HMAS Shepparton, during planned operations north of Cairns.

Personnel from the three DSTO divisions involved in the study are being rostered on board for the duration.

The study will evaluate the impact of duty schedules, sleep–wake cycles, workload, tasking, ship motion, nutrition and habitability issues such as noise, temperature and humidity on fatigue, performance and general wellbeing.

Mr Elischer said the study will involve a combination of self-report questionnaires and surveys for crew members and MPD's specialised ship trials instrumentation techniques. It will provide the opportunity to evaluate the performance of newly acquired MPD hardware to objectively assess fatigue levels of crew undertaking hydrographic tasks in an operational environment.

"The study will allow Navy to develop strategies to minimise fatigue and performance issues, without compromising operational performance. The strategies could include risk management systems, educational and training programs and policy guidelines for the management of fatigue and operational performance and the development of decision making tools for optimum deployment of crew," he said.

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