Air Mobility Plan, 2008 - The Black Vault

Aircraft Armor
Presently C-5s fly into hostile areas with little or no protection for the aircraft and crew. Mission
reports show the C-5 aircraft receiving increased small arms fire. To provide protection for the
C-5 aircraft and aircrew from small arms fire, the platform should be outfitted for armor protection.
Addition of armor protection to the aircraft will increase the survivability of the crew and aircraft
from hostile enemy small arms fire. The armor needs to be capable of stopping a 12.7 mm round.
Vital aircraft systems (liquid oxygen) and junctions where multiple aircraft systems could be lost need
to be protected. The requirement was defined by AMC/CV previously.
Advanced Situational Awareness and Countermeasures
ASACM addresses the AMC radio frequency countermeasures mission need statement dated
November 2000. The system will initially provide advanced situational awareness capability for
threat avoidance by using radar warning receivers with precision location and identification capability.
ASACM will also add coordinated countermeasures to a limited number of MAF aircraft to defeat or
degrade threat systems, if avoidance is impossible.
Airborne Network Integration
ANI integrates hardware (antennas, power supplies, radios, processors, etc.) and software IT infrastructure
within the platform so the network-enabled capabilities outlined in the MAF Airborne Networking
Enabling Concept can be realized. ANI is a critical enabler for the success for multiple capabilities
including, but not limited to, JPADS, ASACM, tactical data link (TDL), and intransit visibility (ITV).
ANI allocation is necessary to enable AMC weapons systems to meet the net-ready key performance
parameter (KPP) for the platform as well as individual systems employed on the platform.
Mobility Air Forces Data Link Integration
AMC requires global secure communications to ensure mission accomplishment in support of USAF
CONOPS. Currently, AMC is pursuing secure line-of-sight (LOS) (i.e., Link 16), beyond line-ofsight
(BLOS), and intelligence-broadcast-receive capabilities, as well as connectivity to the global
information grid (GIG), via airborne networking architecture under the MAF DLI effort. MAF DLI
provides infrastructure critical to airborne networking (AN) and network-centric operations (NCO)
and enables operational advancements via secure intransit visibility, reachback/forward command
and control, and situational awareness, enhancing MAF visibility to the common operating picture
and MAF-CAF interoperability. The MAF DLI effort delivers cross-platform development, Group
A/B kits, and integration and installation in concert with acquisition guidelines; fully supports the
Air Force Tactical Data Link Capabilities Development Document; aligns with Joint Tactical Radio
System program mandates; and postures AMC to begin realizing the vision described in the Mobility
Air Forces Airborne Networking Enabling Concept and the Tactical Data Link—Transformation
CDD.
Joint Tactical Radio Systems
JTRS is a DOD-mandated Joint program that is using spiral development to produce a family of
interoperable software-compliant-architecture radios supporting multiple waveforms and providing
secure, wireless networking communications capabilities for Joint forces. JTRS is critical to serving as
the last tactical mile connecting the warfighter on the ground into the networking capabilities that are
delivered through the GIG. Under the newly revised requirements, budget, and schedule established for
the program, JTRS will provide the mobile, ad hoc networking capability that is essential to realizing
DOD’s transformational goals for the warfighter. The AMC plan is to migrate to JTRS technologies
as JTRS radio solution suites become available and can be incorporated into future and existing AMC
programs (i.e., MAF DLI, CNS/ATM, AMP, and block upgrades) as solution sets.
C-5 Roadmap
C-5
Deficiencies/Solutions
MAF
Deficiencies/Solutions
Reference
Documents
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