Air Mobility Plan, 2008 - The Black Vault

C-17 Roadmap
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Combat Lighting
This project will provide the C-17 with night vision imaging system (NVIS)-compatible/covert
lighting for the cargo compartment and NVIS-friendly/covert lighting for aircraft exterior lights.
Exterior lighting will be capable of going from visible (meeting FAA requirements) to covert with the
flick of a switch. All lighting on the exterior, with the exception of the in-trail formation lights, will be
dual-mode (overt/covert) providing this capability. An additional set of landing and taxi lights will be
installed to permit the pilots to switch from overt to covert mode. This capability was included with
P-153 and subsequent aircraft, with a planned retrofit for the rest of the fleet.
Formation Flight Systems (FFS)
The FFS is an alternate-technology (MIL-aircraft collision avoidance system [ACAS]) solution
intended to meet the US Army’s requirement for an SBA pass time across the drop zone of 30 minutes.
The FFS will replace the current TCAS overlay system introduced on P-125. The FFS will provide
significantly higher reliability and availability than the C-17’s current formation-flying system. The
FFS will meet the all performance requirements including formation-flying in day/night/instrument
meteorological conditions/visual meteorological conditions. The FFS will also provide TCAS
functionality currently fielded on C-17 aircraft, and thus eliminate the current TCAS line replaceable
unit (LRU) from the aircraft.
Core Integrated Processor (CIP) Replacement
The current C-17 mission computer/core integrated processor has been identified as an obsolescent
item to support sustainment as well as future avionics capability upgrades. A form, fit, and function
CIP replacement at the LRU level will upgrade the existing CIP for spares support and later aircraft.
The CIP replacement shall be operationally transparent to the aircrew. The CIP replacement shall
provide processing throughput improvement and added memory capacities to support future capability
upgrade via block software. All development effort is scheduled to support aircraft production and
retrofit starting in March 2009.
Joint Precision Airdrop System - Mission Planning
JPADS-MP is a combat-delivery-enabling
system designed to increase aircrew
survivability while significantly improving
airdrop reliability and accuracy when
airdropping payloads from high altitudes
and stand-off distances. The system will
provide the means to meet the combatant
commander’s requirement of projecting
and sustaining combat power using highaltitude,
precision airdrop, as a direct
delivery method, into a dynamic, dispersed
battlespace. Precision airdrop supports the
full spectrum of military operations from
humanitarian relief/low-intensity conflict
to major theater war. Forcible entry
operations, immediate emergency resupply,
delivery of resupply and forward caches to
maneuvering ground forces, sustainment of
small units operating in remote locations, resupply of surrounded forces, and delivery of supplies and
equipment near or within urban areas are a few examples of supportable military operations. Accurate
aerial delivery minimizes both the on-ground logistic footprint and vehicle convoy vulnerability to
enemy attack. The capability to conduct unilateral, Joint, and other DOD combat, resupply, and
humanitarian high-altitude airdrop operations —with accuracy standards that meet Army requirements
(150 meter accuracy)—will eliminate lost or damaged resupply material and enhance survivability of
AMC assets via high-altitude, standoff distances from ground threats.
OCT 07