U.S. Army officials are again taking a new direction toward buying an Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) intelligence-collecting aircraft, this time focusing on immediate needs for the ongoing fights in Afghanistan and Iraq rather that yet-to-be-realized future scenarios.

The new approach is leading program officials toward a KingAir 350-type platform, with a focus now on an onboard electro-optical and infrared sensor (EO/IR) and signals intelligence (sigint) collector, says Col. Rob Carpenter, the Army's ACS project manager. The service could direct use of the KingAir 350 and hold a competition for integration of the systems onto the aircraft, though a formal acquisition strategy has not yet been formed. So, he says all options are on the table.

This new concept, the latest of several ACS iterations, is now called the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance System (Emars). The name builds off of the already fielded MARS aircraft, which collect communications intelligence and imagery today in Iraq, Carpenter says. The final MARS aircraft, used by the Army and special operations forces under the Task Force ODIN effort, will be delivered to the theater within the next two months.

Despite resistance from some lawmakers in the Fiscal 2010 budget, Carpenter says he expects to begin the program in Fiscal 2010, with production and fielding starting in 2012. A firm requirement has not been set, but the total buy could reach 36 aircraft.

A year ago, the service was focusing on a small jet for a single ACS platform type that would be outfitted with a radar to collect ground-moving-target indication (GMTI) as well as sigint. "The program is totally focused on the current warfight. It has got an IW, irregular warfare, focus," Carpenter says. "ACS as we thought about it in the past, . . . as a thing where you could kick the tires, is probably no more. Think of ACS now as a layered approach to Army [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance]."

This new view is also pragmatic, as the Pentagon grapples with the continuing cost of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq during a recession.

In the last iteration of ACS, Carpenter says the Army was planning to collect EO/IR data from unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which would relay images into the ACS platform via data link. The shift away from radar on Emars is allowing the Army to operate at lower altitudes; the radar requirement was previously driving them to seek an aircraft suitable for operations at 45,000 ft.

Emars is the linchpin of this layered vision. Possible adjuncts are vertical-takeoff-and-landing UASs and the Long-Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle airship concept for staring intelligence collection. The fourth piece would be a decision in the future on whether to procure a more advanced, objective system such as the previously envisioned ACS.

The service canceled an $879-million contract with Lockheed Martin in 2005 to craft an intelligence system on the Embraer ERJ 145.

The focus today is to integrate mature sensors onto a mature platform in an effort to reduce risk and field Emars quickly. This could lead the Army to select the EO/IR sensor; one option is the Common Sensor Payload that is being developed for use on the Army's Warrior UAS.

Fielding Emars will also allow the Army to begin retiring the RC-12 Guardrail aircraft, Carpenter adds.

Photo: USAF