MIXED SIGNALS

Boeing is polishing the design of an EP-3-replacement signals intelligence aircraft for use by the U.S. Navy and possibly for the export market.

Moreover, the airframe builder believes the new airplane (a derivative of the P-8A multimission maritime aircraft) could appeal across service lines, perhaps to the U.S. Air Force, which some Pentagon critics contend is not focusing on keeping its lead in state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. For example, two budget-cutting victims are expected to be the E-10 multi-sensor command and control aircraft--with its revolutionary MP-RTIP radar--and the Joint Unmanned Combat Aircraft System, which was to play a key role in electronic attack.

Boeing's announcement is also likely to trigger other companies to propose offerings. Raytheon has designed and built Britain's Astor ground surveillance aircraft from Bombardier's Global Express. Their investment could be transferred to a sigint version of the aircraft. Also, Northrop Grumman designed versions of the General Dynamics Gulfstream for an Israeli sigint aircraft and the initial competition for the Aerial Common Sensor (ACS).

The 737-derivative sigint aircraft is being presented in response to the death of the Army/Navy ACS contract, a product of Lockheed Martin. Several Pentagon and aerospace industry officials say they believe the answer to disparate service requirements is a common sigint and communications system that can be adapted to a wide range of manned and unmanned aircraft.

Boeing planners object, however, saying a common sensor package will push military users back to a single aircraft. They also tout a worldwide support system for 5,400 commercial 737s that would help keep down the military's inventories and maintenance costs.

"You put together a common architecture, communications suite and sensor packages and you're going to drive yourself toward a common air vehicle, otherwise you're going to pay developmental costs three times and add three types . . . to the inventory," says Tim Norgart, director of Boeing's P-8A business development. [In reality] we're seeing a neck-down of types. Today's budgets are going to drive [the Pentagon] back to joint solutions."

While Boeing's concept targets the Navy, it is not being pitched narrowly as a tactical system like the EP-3. The aircraft's capability could be expanded to rival those of the Air Force's RC-135 Rivet Joint. The company's planners also believe there is an international market for perhaps a couple of dozen of these medium-size signals intelligence aircraft.

So far, however, "the Air Force has not been very proactive in taking the leadership role it could claim in advancing the state-of-the-art for ISR," says a senior intelligence specialist. "Austere budgets make the common theme very popular, but it's been tried several times before and there are huge issues once you try to define common.

"But [the core problem] is not about the technology," he says. "Where we need to see change is in the areas of roles and missions. National [intelligence] organizations need to embrace the services as partners rather than subordinates--or worse, unqualified rubes that only interfere with the national [agencies'] prowess. There also needs to be theater-level implementation of orchestrated instead of scheduled ISR coverage as well as training and documentation on how to employ these remarkable new tools."