GROUND/AIR TASK ORIENTED RADAR - Section 7.5 - Defense Innovation Marketplace

Section 7.5

      GROUND/AIR TASK ORIENTED
                        RADAR

G/ATOR

Program Background                                G/ATOR Block 1 (GB1) will provide radar
                                                  measurement data to the Common Aviation
G/ATOR is an expeditionary, lightweight radar     Command and Control System (CAC2S) and
employed by units within the Air Combat           the Composite Tracking Network (CTN). GB1
Element (ACE) and Ground Combat Element           will replace the legacy Marine Air Command
(GCE) of the Marine Air Ground Task Force         and Control System (MACCS) AN/TPS-63, AN/
(MAGTF). The Marine Corps will operate G/         UPS-3, and AN/MPQ-62 radars. G/ATOR
ATOR in both global and regional conflicts        Block 2 (GB2) will provide radar-determined
in support of operations ranging from low-        launch and impact point data to the Advanced
intensity deterrence to conventional high-        Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) in
intensity conflicts. G/ATOR will be forward       the Fire Support Coordination Center (FSCC)
deployed and employable from the Marine           and Fire Direction Center (FDC) in the Marine
Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the Marine            Artillery Regiments. GB2 will replace the legacy
Expeditionary Force (MEF). G/ATOR will            Marine Artillery Regiment Ground Counter-
provide the MAGTF with the operational            Battery/Counter-Fire radar, which is the AN/
flexibility and speed of employment necessary     TPQ-46.
for enhanced situational awareness in
support of Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare,        The G/ATOR hardware consists of three major
Operational Maneuver from the Sea, ship-to-       subsystems: the Radar Equipment Group (REG),
objective movement, prolonged operations          the Communications Equipment Group (CEG)
ashore, Sea-Basing, Sea Shield, Sea Strike, and   and the Power Equipment Group (PEG) with
FORCE Net.                                        pallet assembly. The REG and its transport

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trailer are designed as an integral package. The        yield; and 3) Active Rectifier (AR), which is
CEG is mounted on one M1152 High Mobility               required for clean power input to the system
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) and               and which requires a multi-step, medium yield
the PEG is mounted on one AMK23 Medium                  manufacturing process.
Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR). Both
vehicles are government-furnished equipment             2. Increased Dynamic Range
(GFE). These vehicles are the prime movers              Under certain adverse conditions, G/
within the G/ATOR system configuration.                 ATOR requires additional dynamic range.
In addition, one GFE Mobile Electric Power              Dynamic range is limited by the Third Order
(MEP) 1070 60kW generator and GFE radio                 Intercept of the receive chain and the
communications components are included in               number of effective bits in its analog to digital
the PEG and CEG design. The GFE radios are              converters. Increasing the dynamic range
the AN/VRC-110 and the AN/VRC-114.                      of these components would improve the G/
                                                        ATOR performance in certain adverse (other
Program Status                                          than nominal) environments. Avenues of
                                                        improvement include improvements in T/R
The AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system received                    module design, as well as receiver design.
a successful Milestone C on 24 January 2014
from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy                3. Advanced Electronic Protection
(Research, Development and Acquisition).
                                                        The G/ATOR PMO is seeking advanced
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has
                                                        electronic protection technologies and
delivered 6 Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology
                                                        techniques that will diminish G/ATOR
LRIP systems and is under contract to deliver
                                                        susceptibility to electronic attack measures.
9 Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology systems.
                                                        This is an area for research into not merely
The total Approved Acquisition Objective is
                                                        what is available today to defeat the current
45 systems. Delivery of the first GaAs LRIP
                                                        electronic attack capabilities but also to look
systems began in February 2017 and will
                                                        to the future, to predict the next generation
complete in February of 2018. Developmental
                                                        of electronic attack means/methods and to
testing for GB1 began in May 2017 and
                                                        development techniques/technologies to
completed in September 2017 and was followed
                                                        negate or defeat them.
by an Operational Assessment in September/
October 2017. GB2 testing started in August
                                                        4. Diminishing Manufacturing Sources
2017 at Yuma Proving Grounds and is currently
                                                        and Material Shortages (DMSMS)
underway leading to an Operational Assessment
in April 2018. GaN system deliveries begin in           With the advancement of electronics
late FY18 leading to IOT&E in early FY19.               technology, the G/ATOR system has several
                                                        components that require upgrading within
                                                        LRIP and early Full Rate Production (FRP). Each
G/ATOR’s Top Technical Issues:
                                                        of the processors will need to be refreshed
1. Lowering Manufacturing Costs                         to include the Pallet Support Electronics
Technologies are needed that reduce                     (PSE), Communications Control Processing
manufacturing cost across multiple areas of             Unit (CCPU), Radar Signal Processor (RSP),
production, including: 1) Air ducts that provide        Receiver Exciter Control Module (RECM), and
precise mounting and cooling of the Transmit/           Antenna Control Module (ACM). Changing
Receive (T/R) modules and array elements (the           processors will likely require a change to
air duct is very time consuming to produce and          the Operating Systems (OS) so techniques
assemble, and thus is very expensive); 2) T/R           and tools to transfer software between
module packaging, which requires expensive              OS is needed. Additionally, some of the
materials and hermetic sealing that reduces             semiconductor components utilized in the

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Waveform Generators (WFG) and T/R modules
are no longer produced in the same manner,
design, or wafer size. These DMS items require
redesigned LRUs that must be tested at the
component, LRU, and system levels to ensure
proper form, fit, and function within G/ATOR.
Northrop Grumman is currently undertaking
these tasks to ensure that G/ATOR remains
operating at optimal performance.

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