HQ Electronic Systems Center, Directorate of Joint Stars Contracts, (JS-5), Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2119

58 -- JOINT SURVEILLANCE TARGET ATTACK RADAR SYSTEM (JOINT STARS) MULTI STAGE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (MSIP) BLOCK 2 POC Major Mark Sabota, Point of Contact, 617-377-8399; Kathy McIntyre, Contracting POC, 617-377-6743. The Joint STARS program office has a requirement to augment the basic functional capabilities of the Joint STARS E-8C aircraft in three areas: the radar sensor and sensor data processing, E-8C interoperability with other elements, and Operations and Control Subsystem capabilities. A. Radar Sensor and Sensor Data Processing Requirements The modifications to the sensor and sensor data processing will refine the signals produced by the E-8C radar and improve the quality and utility of the moving target indicator (MTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery data the E-8C generates from them. They include the addition of a maritime surveillance mode to optimize the detection of moving surface targets in a maritime clutter environment, improvement of the sensor target location accuracy (TLA) to increase the effectiveness of directed weapons, improvement of the resolution of the sensor's SAR imaging capabilities for identifying stationary targets and an inverse SAR (ISAR) capability for identifying moving targets, the addition of a capability to automatically identify ground targets, and the integration of an Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system into the E-8C to aid in cueing the sensor. The modifications also include integration into the E-8C of high capacity signal processing equipment, to support the processing loads attendant to the above changes, and the porting of existing signal processing functions to the equipment. The implementation of the above changes will entail the modification, interfacing and reintegration of the existing E-8C onboard hardware with new hardware and the modification and reintegration of the existing data processing, signal processing, radar control and data display software. It will also entail the development and integration of software supporting the new capabilities. The data products produced by these capabilities will be presented to the onboard operators in a manner consistent with the current human machine interface (HMI). B. E-8C Interoperability Requirements These modifications will augment the basic E-8C capabilities to interoperate with external tactical elements via changes to its external communications capabilities. They include: the integration of the Improved Data Modems (IDM) into the existing E-8C communications subsystem and the capability to efficiently manage the IDMs and their host radios together with the existing communications equipment, integration of a basic UHF SATCOM communications capability into the E-8C, to provide beyond line-of-sight voice and data communications with UHF-equipped platforms, integration of a VHF SINCGARS radio for voice communications with ground and Army aviation elements by replacing an existing E-8C VHF AN/ARC-186 radio, and an increase in the number of E-8C TADIL-J messages supported by the communications capabilities. The above modifications will entail integration of hardware into the existing E-8C onboard communications subsystem, modification and reintegration of the existing E-8C communications and communications management software, and development and integration of new software to enable the operators to control use the IDM, SATCOM, and SINCGARS, and manage the use of the IDM and SATCOM capabilities. C. Operations and Control (O&C)Subsystem Modifications These O&C subsystem modifications will augment the capability of the E-8C operators to manage the SAR imagery data, support the Air Tasking Order (ATO), and exchange graphics data with the Joint STARS Ground Station Modules (GSMs). The modifications include the integration into the O&C subsystem of capabilities to: eliminate redundant sensor tasking for SAR imagery by comparing SAR imagery requests with previously collected SAR data, to exchange operational, map, coordination, and other graphic data, as well as fire support target numbers with the GSM, display DMA Compressed ARC Digitized Raster Graphic and Hypsographic data using slope shading to illustrate terrain features at any Operator Work Stations (OWSs), enable operators to view the overall area of interest while maintaining zoomed-in views of concentrated interest, and to input, store, and display an ATO database, and augment existing surveillance, control, and data display capabilities by processing ATO data in combination with existing E-8C database information. These modifications also include insertion of a new general purpose computer to replace obsolete production computers. The above O&C Subsystem modifications will entail the modification and reintegration of the existing O&C software and databases, the development and integration of additional databases and associated software, and the development and integration of extensions to the existing HMI consistent with the current E-8C HMI. Interested firms should respond by indicating their capabilities to meet the following screening criteria: (a) possess or have the ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance, (b) Possess system level knowledge of the Joint STARS architecture, (c) Demonstrate past experience in Airborne Radar Systems to include MTI, SAR, Radar Signal Processing and Clutter Modeling, (d) Demonstrate past experience in large scale software development, integration and system testing, (e) Demonstrate experience in developing and testing user interfaces for tactical/intelligence systems using standard X/Motif Graphical User Interfaces, (f) Demonstrate experience in using 1553 Data Bus, (g) Demonstrate experience in interfacing computer systems and developing interface documentation, (h) Demonstrate experience in developing software documentation, and (i) Demonstrate experience in developing military training documentation, (j) Demonstrate experience in integrating radio equipment into large airborne platforms Firms should indicate whether they are a large or small business and whether they qualify as socially or economically disadvantaged. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute an RFP nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will solicit those firms meeting the screening criteria in this synopsis. Interested firms should submit a capabilities package to ESC/JS-5, Attn.: Ms. Kathren McIntyre, 3 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 10731-2119 within 30 days of this publication. The ESC Ombudsman is Col. Claud E. Messamore, Jr., ESC/CS, (617) 377-5106. The Ombudsman should be contacted only with issues or problems that have been brought previously to the attention of the program manager and/or contracting officer and could not be resolved satisfactorily at that level. Any offeror initially judged to be unqualified will be provided a copy of the solicitation upon request. Any offer submitted by such a firm will be evaluated without prejudice. The Government anticipates the release of an RFP for this requirement in November 1996. Anticipated contract start date is 2nd Qtr FY97. (0213)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0415 19950802\58-0012.SOL)