Air Force Reserve A-10s Get 'Smart' Systems

, WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE: You can build just about anything on a good foundation. Air Force reservists from the 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 303rd Fighter Squadron here are being reminded of that as five of the 442nd Fighter Wing's A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are being equipped with “smart” multi-function color display systems. 
 
This technology, new to the A-10, is manufactured by the Raytheon Company, headquartered in Waltham, Mass. It will provide a host of cutting-edge capabilities for the Air Force Reserve Command pilots, including increased awareness and communication. 
 
“The A-10 was designed as a bare-bones airplane,” said Maj. David Kurle, 442nd FW chief of public affairs. “It wasn't designed with all these modifications in mind. When it came into the inventory in 1975, no one had any idea it was going to last as long as it has.” 
 
Currently, the Air Force plans to keep the A-10 in its inventory another 20 years or more. 
 
“The original A-10 was just an aircraft with weapons systems on it. It wasn't integrated to the Army or to the battlefield at all,” said Lt. Col. Mark Ernewein, assistant director of operations for the 303rd Fighter Squadron. 
 
The 442nd AMXS began installing the new systems in 2006. Colonel Ernewein said the new technology “is a huge jump for the A-10s.” 
 
“We are now joining the data-link world,” he said. “(This) is just like the Internet for the armed forces. That's the No. 1 asset this brings to us. The Army has about half their assets as part of the data-link world.” 
 
“The data-link is just one aspect of what it does,” Colonel Ernewein said.  
 

The system also serves as a display monitor for Litening II targeting pods and Maverick missiles. “It runs the targeting pod and captures images that can be sent to personnel on the ground,” Colonel Ernewein said. “It lets us pass targeting information, imagery and video between ground personnel and fliers, as well as to command and control with increased resolution. We're replacing a (black and white) monitor built in the 1970s,” he said. 
 
Tech. Sgt. Rik Davis, an avionics technician with the 442nd AMXS's specialist flight, said, “It helps (pilots) pinpoint targets instead of having to say, 'It's the building to the right of the white gate' or something like that.” 
 
As a pilot who will use the new system in the A-10, Colonel Ernewein had high praise for the technology. “It's a network that's modular so not everybody has to be in a line of sight with everyone else,” he said. “It's just like the Internet. I see a target and I can make that my sensor point of interest. My wingman will see my call sign (on the screen in another A-10), and I can capture his sensor's point of interest. I can fly his targeting pod from my aircraft. It's much more streamlined, efficient and much more complex. 
 
The new system will enhance situational awareness. “It has a situational awareness page,” the colonel said. “It has moving maps, as well as imagery and range rings. The system has its own processors in it. It's two of the fastest processors in any aircraft. It's modular and inexpensive and can be linked with any modification of the aircraft.” 
 
For example, the colonel used to carry several printed maps on the aircraft; now he can get everything he needs on a small computer thumb drive. “When I get a target, I can sort out where the nearest friendlies are located, which is important for reducing fratricide,” he said. Along with imagery, he can overlay the “order of battle” on the ground. 
 
Colonel Ernewein also noted that the system allows pilots, through the “situational awareness data link,” which the Army also possesses, to see friendly and enemy locations. 
 
The increased technology is a bit of double-edged sword, according to Colonel Ernewein, because it can be “overwhelming.” 
 
“We're developing tactics, techniques and procedures for how to use this system,” he said. “There're so many capabilities in it, you have to narrow down specific tasks for our mission on which to focus.” 
 
None of this capability would be possible, however, were it not for the know-how and dedication of the maintenance Airmen installing these multi-function color display systems. 
 
“Once you run and install the wiring and the line-replaceable units, you have to do all the follow-on operational checks,” Sergeant Davis said. “A whole new control stick has to be installed with new buttons. There are dozens of checks, and that involves three or four shops. Crew chiefs have to put the aircraft on jacks and do landing-gear retraction. The armaments shop does gun-function checks.” 
 
This process, according to Sergeant Davis, typically takes more than 200 hours. Maintenance troops also have to contend with the simple mathematical problem of currently possessing only five systems for the wing's fleet of 24 A-10s. 
 
As planes go in for phase inspections or other repairs, the systems must be taken out and re-installed in other aircraft to train pilots and keep them current on the system. “We're learning as we go,” Sergeant Davis said. “I think from what I'm being told, though, we're having luck.” 
 
While such work can be tedious and frustrating, Sergeant Davis said it simply must be done. “We have to do it,” he said “There are no ifs, ands or buts. For a modification, it hasn't gone too bad. We're getting it done, and they're flying with it.” 
 
On the flipside, Sergeant Davis said pilots, after flying A-10s with the system, provide feedback to maintenance by describing what they experienced in the air. Also, additional systems are scheduled to arrive in the future and will be installed in the wing's entire fleet of A-10s. 
 
“The pilots will say, 'It's actually doing this,'” he said. “So we use that information to troubleshoot (the system). It's a lot of playing with buttons and figuring out what they do.” 
 
As bugs are worked out to make the A-10 more effective, Sergeant Davis said the 442nd FW is not alone in this process. 
 
Four other A-10 wings are at various stages of implementing this system.