Page 24 - World Airnews Magazine April 2021

MILITARY

BUILDING A SMARTER

ISR AIRCRAFT

The Intelligence,
Surveillance, Target
Acquisition and
Reconnaissance

system, an aircraft that
collects, analyses and
delivers near real-time
intelligence and a highly
accurate common
operating picture, will
help commanders
make better-informed

decisions.

bit simpler, forces could really rely on one reconnaissance capabilities to help ward off

major sensor for their intelligence needs adversaries posturing from a distance and
n a modern military conflict, the and capabilities,” said Richard Sandifer, denying access to threats.

Iamount of informati on fl ying around Korea ISTAR capture executive at RI&S. “Anti-access/Area Denial is everywhere,”

can be overwhelming. Signals come in from “A single, great radar was the only thing said Jason Colosky, ISRS business

everywhere. Some of it is intelligence. needed to understand what the enemy development executive, using a military term
Some of it is noise. It comes from friends was doing. But it is not possible to get the for suppressing an adversary’s movement.
and from foes. And it creates chaos. total intelligence picture from just one “So you have to have an asset that has

Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a radar anymore.” the time and duration to be in the air

Raytheon Technologies business, can help RI&S is partnering with aircraft maker long enough to provide intelligence to
armed forces in the air and on the ground Bombardier to modify its Global 6500 commanders before deciding to queue

make sense of this increasingly crowded, business jet. firepower against the adversary. ISTAR has

complex and converged battlespace. The airframe would be outfitted with those capabilities, enabling the operators

The company is proposing an aircraft multiple capabilities, including an advanced to see deep into a non-permissive

called the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target active electronically scanned array RF environment.”

Acquisition and Reconnaissance system, or system, which combines ground moving The ISTAR system would offer a fully

ISTAR. It would collect, analyze and deliver target indicator capabilities with synthetic integrated battlefield management

near real-time intelligence and a highly aperture modes; multi-spectral long command-and-control processing
accurate common operating picture to help range imagery, which provides visible capability, enabling service members at

commanders make the right decisions. and infrared intelligence and targeting every operational level to strategically plan

“Our advanced multi-intelligence information; and signals intelligence - and cohesively execute missions in lockstep

aircraft will sense, process and transmit an entire suite to deliver the precision with their allies.

copious amounts of information rapidly and intelligence for making decisions Additionally, the ISTAR fleet could help
and at long range in highly contested and maintain the advantage of strategic enforce maritime embargoes, monitor

environments,” said Barbara Borgonovi, surprise to spot and combat threats first. natural disasters, direct humanitarian

vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance In comparison to existing reconnaissance aid, ensure border security and bolster

and Reconnaissance Systems for RI&S. aircraft, RI&S’ ISTAR would fly longer, at missile defence.

The ISTAR would use multiple higher altitudes and with more electrical “We have a heritage of providing

intelligence, or Multi-INT, technology, power, enabling the plane to carry more reliable ISTAR capabilities that have been

in keeping with the demands of modern capabilities. proven in contested theatres in support

military technology. Multi-INT weaves in “The increased power payload will help of allied operations by deploying the first

critical intelligence inputs from multiple increase the sensing capability, as well international ISTAR-type aircraft in the

sensors across the spectrum such as as the capability for onboard processing United Kingdom,” said Sandifer.

visuals, radio frequencies and electronic and the entire platform,” said Sandifer. “That operational experience and lessons

communications, among other signals, and The asset is large enough to scale, learned are being applied to our latest

it paints a clearer, multi-faceted picture of offering flexibility to the customer to add smart ISR aircraft enabling operators to

the adversary’s movements and changes in capabilities over time. make accurate and fast decisions in the

the battlespace. In particular, the system can employ congested battlespace when it matters
“When the threat environment was a advanced intelligence, surveillance and the most.” Q
World Airnews | April 2021
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