Over the course of last 100 years, the United States has been involved in over ten military conflicts. With each and every conflict SIGINT collection and analysis has grown and matured. Of all the SIGINT platforms no platform has had a more far reaching impact on the battle field then Prophet Spiral version 1 Collection system. From the Prophet Spiral 1 to the newly fielded Prophet Enhanced, the prophet system has allowed commanders real time access to valuable SIGINT intelligence and Electronic Warfare unlike any time in history.
After the gulf war and Somalia, It was determined that the U.S. needed to re-examine their ability to perform SIGINT collection operations. During the Mid 1990’s a decision was made, both versions of the Ground Based Common Sensor (GBCS Heavy and Light) as well as the Advanced, needed replacement. Born out of this desire and years of development the “Prophet ORD was approved by TRADOC effective 26 April 1999. This officially transitioned the program from the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Common Sensor (IEWCS), Ground Based Common Sensor - Heavy/Light (GBCS-H/L), and Advanced QuickFix (AQF).”[1] One system to replace three different systems. Collection, Targeting, and electronic warfare simultaneously integrated into one tactical system.
For this discussion of the Prophet we will start with the Prophet Spiral v1 and conclude with the newest version The Enhanced. The Original concept of what a prophet systems is a “Division and Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) commander's principal signals intelligence & electronic warfare (SIGINT & EW) system and preprocessor of organic SIGINT.”[2] Although the Spiral started out as a Division level assets it has transitioned are the enemy has transitioned. Original...
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...der’s ability to control and understand SIGINT and EW in his battle space. The five key mission of Signals Mapping, Electronic Attack (EA), Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR), precise location techniques to assist in the targeting process, and selected signals internals exploitation are truly a force multiplier. Never in modern warfare has such power been place in the hand of those most directly able to influence the battle. As we move forward in the war on terrorism the Prophet will continue to advance in order to provide commanders every advantage on the battle field.
Works Cited
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/prophet.htm
Kimberly Johnson, "Army's Prophet Enhanced system offers mobile intel: PE ground signals intelligence system flexes its combat muscle. Defense Systems (2011) http://defensesystems.com/articles/2011/09/06/c4isr-1-prophet-enhanced.aspx
In Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Iraqi forces fired 93 Scud missiles at coalition forces in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. (Rostker) Air Defense Artillery (ADA) played an immensely significant role in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm with units from 11th Brigade Air Defense Artillery and the 32d Air Defense Command rapidly deploying into theater. The effectiveness of the units and their roles in fighting this war proved that Air Defense Artillery was critical to the success of the campaign. Although Patriot Batteries placed strategically throughout Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel played a tremendous tactical role in these wars, High-Medium Air Defense (HIMAD) was not the only type of surface to air missile system in place to protect ground forces and valuable military assets. Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) units also deployed with the air defense units. These weapon systems, integrated with ground forces, provided air defense to dominate against aircraft and Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBM) on the front lines.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Operations, Joint Publication 3-0 (Washington, DC: U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, August 11, 2011), III-1.
I have organized this paper into five distinct sections; mission, task organization, capabilities, limitations, and finally the conclusion. After the reading and comprehension of this paper, you should have gained a basic understanding of the Special Forces (SF) Chemical Reconnaissance Detachments (CRD). The following paper is mixed with Unclassified (UCI) and For Official Use Only (FOUO) information. FOUO is annotated at the beginning of all For Official Use Only information, the rest of the paper is UCI. If you wish to share this information paper with others, please at a minimum; confirm identity of the person prior to providing (FM 380-5, 2000). For further handling instructions please refer to FM 380-5, or contact me, I will gladly answer all questions.
PRECISION ENGAGEMENT provides NORAD the capability to precisely engage threats throughout the full range of our surveillance coverage to ensure off-shore threat engagement well before air and space weapons threaten Canadian or American citizens. This requires agile platforms with lethal munitions to enage targets more responsively and accurately from longer distances and precise, immediate operational assessments with the agility to re-engage if required. The system will include a flexible, near real-time targeting architecture, including space-based wide area surveillance, rapid identification, tracking, and near real-time sensor to shooter links.
- - -, dir. “Air Force Special Operations Command.” The Official Web Site of the United Stated Air Force. U.S. Air Force, 20 Sept. 2011. Web. 9 Feb. 2012. .
If successful, the demonstrator may pave the way for future development of a THEL User Operational Evaluation System for use in U.S. peace keeping/contingency operations. The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss, Texas, officially designated as the proponent for THEL by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will develop a mission need statement and an operational requirements statement for the initial THEL configuration.
Many of the military technological advancements that have been made in the last 60 years can be attributed to the Cold War. Much of the technology developed during the period of the Cold War is still in use today by the military and government. Advancements in offensive technology are well known to just about everyone in the way of nuclear energy harnessed in the form of the nuclear bomb, but little is known about the battle for information during the Cold War. The Cold War produced some of the most advanced technology used in the fields of detection and reconnaissance in history. The United States’ detection and reconnaissance technology played a major role against communism during the Cold War, and these types of technology still play roles today.
America holds the dream of liberty and freedom and protects the attainment and success of democracy across the world. As President Eisenhower emphasized in his “Farewell Address,” our goal as a nation has always been to “foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity, and integrity among people and among nations” (par. 7). However, since the early fifties, American society has become a nation of self-servers with ulterior motives that surface well after our nation has initiated conflicts with others. The Korean, Vietnam and the Iraq War all exemplify the new era of secretive purpose behind military action taken. These three wars span the majority of the past sixty years. This new era began when our country started our transformation into, what President Eisenhower coined, the “military-industrial complex” (par.16). This complex harbors an unbalanced society that allows for our government’s actions to become easily corrupted by the need to feed the industry that feeds our military in turn. During President Eisenhower’s farewell, he warned our nation of the devastating effects of this type of national compound. In, Why We Fight, by Eugene Jarecki, an award-winning documentary director and producer, the film introduces the audience to the lack of understanding our society has on the actual intent behind our nation’s conflicts. Jarecki conveys throughout his piece that the overall purpose for misleading the American public is to fuel the military-industrial economy by maintaining America’s political supremacy around the world. The director introduces the audience to this new understanding by employing anecdotes from certain citizens as well as expressive imagery that comprised of heart wrenching video clips as w...
Raytheon (Raytheon Company) is one of the world’s leading defense contractors supplying both state-of-the-art (SOA) military and industrial grades of electronic components, ordnance, training programs, in addition to mission system integration (MSI&T) services. Raytheon’s electronics section provides equipment with the functionality of effectively degrading, disrupting, and eliminating rival computer hardware. Weaponry developed through Raytheon are manufactured not only to include significant precision, but to additionally be as effective as possible by furthermore constraining any collateral damage. As a technological innovative industry leader, their perception is “To be the most admired defense and aerospace systems company through their world-class people, innovation and technology.” (Raytheon Company, 2014)
Initially designed as an anti-aircraft system, Patriot became operational in 1985. (Patriot, 2013) Patriot fires a missile from its launching station to engage an aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle, cruise missile or a tactical ballistic missile. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm had kicked off and Patriot added missile-interception. Patriot anti-tactical ballistic missile capability phase 2 (PAC-2) had the first wartime engagement of a tactical rocket by an anti-tactical ballistic missile in history. Patriot upgraded to the PAC-3 missile that utilizes hit-to-kill technology making it over ninety percent success rate on engagements. Patriot is constantly undergoing improvements and remains one of the most sophisticated air defense technologies in the world today. (Kraus, 2000; Patriot,
Headquarter, Department of the Army. “FM2-22.3 Human Intelligence Collector Operations”. Department of the Army. September 2006.
However, it is evident that the implementation of these specialized aviation units has enabled Delta Force to execute its missions with much more accuracy. America’s ability to reach out and touch someone has come a long way since the failed mission of Operation Eagle Claw. Ignoring the political side of things, it is very comforting to know that such a precision instrument exists. “You guys are the meanest and ugliest fuckers I’ve met in my life. But I love you. You guys saved my life and I’m eternally, eternally grateful…So long, guys.” (Kurt Muse)
There are many agencies that have the ability to perform Signals Intelligence, electronic reconnaissance and most of all signals intelligence from all available sources inducive to the environment. The United States Army uses the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) as its main entity for signals collection. The Joint STARS platform was designed to provide a highly effective, real-time, collection tool to the ground task force commanders during battlefield engagements, but for the past ten years, the sensor has been used for peacekeeping missions. Army analysts can predict the enemy’s behavior by identifying choke points, potential avenues of approach and operating patterns such as supply routes and logistical points. The analysis gives the ground commander a more complete view of the enemy’s weaknesses. The United States Air Force employs the Joint STARS in a different mission than the Army. The Air Force uses Joint STARS as a battlefield management tool versus a collection tool as used for by the Army. The Air Force uses the platform to provide immediate and direct support to the Air Component Commander and continue to observe the enemy’s movement from a far distance in the sky. Providing essential data to commanders such as size, direction, and speed of the adversaries, with minimum casualties while under battlefield conditions, makes the Joint STARS an extremely effective tool. The Air Force also employs the Predator vehicles, which are unmanned aerial vehicles that are used for reconnaissance.
The U.S. army has come up with a digital warfare system called Army Battle Command System. This system can scan digital street maps, monitor enemy positions, zoom in on individual buildings through satellite imagery and download instructions from commanders. The Army Battle Command System has been but in to a hand full of Humvees in Iraq. This technology was originally designed for battlefield combat which was tanks and helicopters, but now they have found that it is much more useful for hunting rebel leaders and trailing street fighters.
There are many types of technological developments in the military happening at all times. They range from new aircraft to sophisticated guidance systems. Teams of specialists work for years to develop some of our simplest equipment. These people’s everyday lives are devoted to the safety and protection of the citizens of the U.S.