Combat Training Ranges

Mission — Combat Training Range Equipment source

COMBAT TRAINING RANGES (CTR): Portfolio provides electronic warfare equipment and support to Air Force combat training ranges for training, testing, and evaluation of aircrews. Development and integration efforts include: aircraft pods, radar emitters, advanced radar emitters, communication jammers, command and control and debrief capability, and instrumentation equipment. All development efforts support USAF aircraft for Joint, Coalition, and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) training events. This program leverages digital acquisition tenets of open, agile, and digital. This program will develop Common component in collaboration with other weapon systems, to reduce redundant costs between systems with similar subsystems requirements. It will also invest in analytical, information management, data management, digital environments, networks, facilities, and security infrastructure upgrades directly supporting development and sustainment of this program's capabilities, while leveraging DoD and DAF enterprise IT solutions. ADVANCED RADAR THREAT SYSTEM (ARTS): ADVANCED RADAR THREAT SYSTEM (ARTS): The ARTS family of systems program is currently focused on the ARTS-V1 and ARTS-V3 variants. ARTS-V1 is currently in the Production Phase, having achieved IOC with its Production Representative Article (PRA) at Nellis Test and Training Range, and is preparing to enter into full sustainment in FY28 following delivery of the 2 production units. ARTS-V3 is a software defined digital radar currently in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase. ARTS-V3 is developing a state-of-the-art digital active electronically scanned radar system that will be used to simulate the latest foreign Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) radar and Electronic Warfare (EW) threat systems. ARTS-V3 systems are a critical part of the Operational Training and Test Infrastructure (OTTI) plan for developing future Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for potential conflicts. These systems are also a critical component of the DoD's testing capabilities for validation of advanced airpower capabilities against threat-representative radar systems. Efforts include, but are not limited to: anechoic chamber research, digital twin, and open-air testing technology development, software development, and collaborative test and development infrastructures. ARTS V3 will validate open-air characteristics of advanced threat systems to develop realistic physics-based threat models for virtual high-end training environments including the Joint Synthetic Environment. MODERNIZATION RANGE THREATS SYSTEMS (RTS): The RTS program supports upgrading and modifying legacy range threat systems to provide combat training relevancy and enhanced systems capabilities. Legacy systems include Multiple Threat Emitter System (MUTES), Miniature Multiple Threat Emitter System (Mini-MUTES), Modular Threat Emitter (MTE) system, Tactical Radar Threat Generator (TRTG) system, Band Simulator, Unmanned Modular Threat Emitter (UMTE) system, and Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) system. LIVE MISSION OPERATIONS CAPABILITY (LMOC): LMOC is an effort to modernize range control centers with common hardware and software that can support live-synthetic training missions. LMOC will provide a node-based enterprise that integrates all range system capabilities, including pre/post mission coordination, in a multi-level secure environment to enable blended live-synthetic training for 4th/5th generation aircraft and aircrew. P6 Combat Training Systems (P6CTS) will resolve existing critical training capability gaps and will enable comprehensive, realistic air combat training. Key upgrades include a trusted operating system, Multiple Level Security (MLS) architecture, Type 1 encryption of over-air data, and increased processing capability. P6CTS investment will support a robust Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground combat training environment and provide a growth path to Blended Training capability. The P6CTS is comprised of airborne participant subsystem, ground system/subsystem and ancillary range communication infrastructure. P6CTS Initial Operating Capability (IOC) on F-15 at Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is targeted for FY27. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY24 3.8M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY25 4.775M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. The programs in the civilian pay requirement are ARTS-V3, P6CTS and LMOC. This program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (4)