TIPS Team Hopes to Clear First Technology Release Hurdle Soon

 Partners for NATO's airborne ground surveillance program hope within weeks to clear the first of several potential stumbling blocks on the path to signing the formal design and development contract in about a year's time.

The partner governments are expected to approve a plan for the development of the multinational radar at the heart of the manned and unmanned Alliance Ground Surveillance system, according to Matt Copija, Northrop Grumman's program director. The so-called TCAR radar development will be folded into the larger TIPS (or Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution) program.

The agreement will parcel out radar workshare and address what were seen as some of the most complex technology release issues. European TCAR partners will largely be responsible for the radar's antenna technology, mostly because they are paying the lion's share of the cost. Europe will also supply the datalink to pass TIPS data, primarily to avoid technology transfer problems associated with U.S. technology.

The focus of negotiations will then shift to the memorandum of understanding governing the entire TIPS development, as well as the annex for the design and development phase. Annexes will govern later stages of the project, to avoid having to negotiate new MoUs. The MoU negotiations are slated to be completed by spring 2005. Copija projects 3-6 months of negotiations thereafter to have the member countries approve the agreement.

Many details of the design and development and subsequent phases remain to be worked out. NATO is mulling whether to first develop the Global Hawk UAV platform, or the A321 version. The A321 is likely to come first. NATO plans to buy five A321s fitted with an 18.-foot-long radar, and seven Global Hawks equipped with a 9-foot array.

Copija concedes the program is working on a tight schedule, with an in-service date planned for 2010.

—Robert Wall