Coastwatch goes all-electronic

National Air Support is gearing up for the start of its renewed Coastwatch airborne surveillance contract in January 2008 - but some key elements of the total surveillance capability are still to be settled.
Adelaide-based Surveillance Australia, a subsidiary of special mission aircraft operator National Air Support, is gearing up for the introduction of the 'all-electronic' airborne surveillance capability it will deliver to the Australian Customs Service's Coastwatch organisation from January 2008.

Coastwatch's requirement under its $1 billion, 12-year CMS04 contract for the high-technology 'electronic' surveillance capability will see Surveillance Australia phase out the six BN2 Islanders, three F406 Reims-Cessnas and solitary AC50 Shrike it has used for visual surveillance of Australia's coastline and littoral waters. The company's 15-strong fleet will be rationalised to 10 aircraft - six Bombardier Dash 8-200s upgraded from the configuration and capability of the five it already operates, and four larger, longer-range Dash 8-300s.

Each of the Dash 8s will be fitted with a complete suite of electro-optical and radar equipment, operated by two trained operators in the cabin of the aircraft. Although the electronic equipment will often be the primary means of target detection, the evidentiary nature of civil maritime surveillance means that human observers will have to carry out close visual inspection and gather photographic proof of a vessel's identity and activity if it is suspected of being involved in illegal activity.

They'll also feature new generation communications and on-board data management systems. The CMS04 requirement places great emphasis on real-time transmission of data between surveillance aircraft and the National Surveillance Centre and other surveillance assets in the Coastwatch system. Of special note is Coastwatch's Inmarsat-based SATCOM capability. This was added to existing Coastguard Dash 8s several years ago, allowing them to transmit real time video, still images from the installed FLIR or daylight TV systems, radar profiles, voice and data from the patrolling Coastwatch aircraft via satellite direct to the Customs National Surveillance Centre in Canberra, or to a mobile ground station. This capability will be retained and enhanced.

The 10 Dash8s will operate from existing Surveillance Australia bases in Broome, Darwin, Horn Island and Cairns, providing all weather, day and night electronic surveillance of Australia's maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Each aircraft will be capable of searching an area of more than 110,000 km2 per flight. The Dash 8-300s will be equipped with long range tanks; in addition they will also carry up to an extra 4,000lb of fuel in tanks located in the main cabin. These will afford the aircraft an endurance of up to 14 hours, depending on altitude and cruise speed.

National Air Support went back to a clean sheet when preparing its bid to retain the Coastwatch contract. Its guiding principle was 'Targets define Technologies'. That the new aircraft fleet appears to resemble the most capable parts of the existing one suggests that the company got its sums right the first time round. The Dash 8 has racked up over 70,000 flying hours in 10 years on the current Coastwatch contract and a minute inspection of an aircraft that came in for a recent C Check showed no corrosion issues. Indeed, Bombardier felt confident enough to offer a corrosion guarantee on the Dash 8s under the existing contract, and have done so again for CMS04.

Nevertheless, the fact that NAS's tender for CMS04 appeared to resemble the current equipment inventory so closely caused some concern at its Adelaide headquarters - it didn't look different enough to seem new and better. In the event, the company's calculations proved correct.

The CMS04 requirement also specified a Surveillance Information Management (SIM) system to manage the collation and dissemination of the enhanced surveillance data and imagery. However, the SIM, UAV and satellite surveillance elements of the program are subject to separate contracts from the manned aircraft element.

While National Air Support was unable to comment on the negotiations that were still under way at the time of writing, ADM understands the SIM and satellite surveillance aspects of the program should be settled by mid-year. The UAV element is unlikely to be settled until after the UAV trial scheduled for August/September this year over the North-West Shelf (see box).

The Surveillance Information Management (SIM) capability, in conjunction with the communications capability:

* integrates all information from surveillance sensors and communications systems onboard surveillance assets

* correlates and manages surveillance information

* transfers surveillance information to and from the Coastwatch National Surveillance Centre (NSC)

* provides surveillance information to forward command posts

* receives surveillance tasking, briefing and other information from the NSC

* generates accurate, high integrity records of surveillance information.

A fundamental purpose for recording surveillance information is for its production as evidence for prosecutions and seizures of property in court. Consequently, the integrity of the information, and the ability for independent verification, is vital. This requirement applies to track data, imagery, audio recordings, and other operational data, and imposes a data integrity responsibility upon the Service Provider.

The information to be captured, managed and reported by the SIM during each individual Surveillance Mission is known as the Target record and includes identification of the target, its classification and description, target activity, record of communications with the target as well as notes and comments on the target.

In addition to systems to be incorporated in surveillance assets, Customs asked tenderers to provide full details of the equipment they proposed to install for the NSC node, including space and power requirements, communications and cabling to be installed, and other infrastructure to be provided.

ADM understands three tenders for the SIM requirement are currently being evaluated and that an announcement on the preferred tenderer is expected soon. The contenders include Australian company Acacia Research, US based L-3 Communications and Italian based Galileo Avionica. Sources from these companies and others involved in CMS04 declined to discuss the detail of the various bids, so what follows is based on open source information.

Acacia Research - Adelaide-based Acacia Research is likely to be offering a Tactical Data Management System which we assume is a derivation of the TDMS it provided for the Collins-class Combat System Augmentation program back in April 2002.

The TDMS employs advanced target motion analysis (TMA), and sensor data fusion, and is able to maintain multiple contacts in a robust database supporting a tactical history covering missions of extensive duration. The system is based on industry standard open architecture (CORBA).

Although primarily engaged in advanced surveillance systems, Acacia Research has very significant depth of skills in data fusion, tracking, sensor performance, data analysis and environmental mathematical modelling.

In addition to tactical data systems its products have included the design of submarine optronics systems, wavelet-based ECM detection system, imaging laser radar controller and a prototype 3D-based underwater acoustic vulnerability visualisation system.

We suspect Acacia will have offered continuous improvement as part of the 10-year ILS package for the SIM requirement.

Galileo Avionica - Wholly owned by Finmeccanica, Italian firm Galileo Avionica is offering its ATOS airborne integrated mission management system. The system's modular and open architecture readily supports the insertion of additional equipment and product improvements.

Various configurations are available to properly fit medium range aircraft, small aircraft and helicopters. Ty
* Offshore patrol with electronic and electro-optic sensors to detect, localise, classify and track a large class of vessels

* Search and Rescue (SAR) missions

* Antipollution surveillance and fishery protection

* Anti smuggling, anti infiltration

The core of the ATOS is the Mission Management System (MMS) which provides full management of all mission phases; enhanced MMI for one or more operators; management of the onboard sensors; real time data collection, correlation and storage; and digital maps and targets correlation.

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems (L-3 IS) is offering its Integrated Data Handling System (IDHS) for the Coastwatch SIM contract. Tailorable for various missions the IDHS is in wide maritime patrol service in US P-3C and other aircraft (including RNZAF P-3K aircraft).

According to L-3 the IDHS provides operators a common operating environment using an open architecture with COTS-based computing. Late last year the Swedish Coastguard selected a team led by Canada's Field Aviation to provide three Dash 8-300 aircraft equipped with a mission system designed by L-3 IS that integrates critical mission sensors. The aircraft will replace three CASA 212 aircraft currently in use. The contract calls for delivery of all three aircraft to the Swedish Coast Guard in 2007.

The new aircraft will provide increased endurance, range and more effective sensors than the existing system. Its maritime duties will include increased environmental and fisheries surveillance.

By Tom Muir, Canberra