Defense News
11/17/09
SHOW SCOUT
Dubai Airshow 2009
Boeing Reaches Milestone on NC3S Project Vigilare
By Wendell Minnick
Dubai – Boeing announced Nov. 17 that Project Vigilare, a Network Centric Command and Control System (NC3S) solution in Australia, had completed two major milestones. The first is a data transmission with a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornet using Link 16 technology, and the second is the development
of its record and replay feature.
“These key capabilities will deliver significant benefits to the Australian Defense Force,” said Rod Drury, Boeing Defense Australia (BDA), vice president of Strategy and Business Development. “Our NC3S product line, of which the Australian solution is provided under Project Vigilare, continues to strengthen Boeing’s position as a global developer of advanced defense technology.”
Boeing is in discussions with South Korea on the NC3S and recently met with government officials at the Seoul Airshow, Drury said.
Besides Australia, Malaysia also has NC3S program set up at Headquarters Integrated Area Defense System, which “supports Five Power Defense Arrangements joint operations,” he said. “It was delivered in June 2004 at Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth.”
“Vigilare provides Australian Defense Force with enhanced surveillance and battle-space management capability.” It is being “progressively developed to the RAAF from 2009-2010,” he said.
The Vigilare’s Link 16 capability will allow the RAAF to securely transfer and receive critical tactical data to and from RAAF platforms, such as the Boeing 737 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft.
The Wedgetail is equipped with Northrop Grumman’s new Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA). The first two aircraft are set for delivery to Australia next week. Australia has on order six Wedgetail aircraft.
Boeing will conduct a follow-on NC3S capability demonstration for Australia in early 2010, in which a Wedgetail will transmit data using Link 16 to the Vigilare system at the Northern Regional Operations Center (NorthROC).
The record and replay capability will improve operator training and mission planning by allowing console operators to replay real and simulated scenarios to multiple operator consoles simulators simultaneously, separately or concurrently with an active NC3S system.
The feature operates in two modes: role replication or video replay, in which the operator can replay missions, and interactive replay, in which the operator can interact with the replay and manipulate the replayed data and voice set to explore different outcomes.
