Space

Rapid Attack Identification Detection and Reporting System (RAIDRS)

Since the 1991 Gulf War, US military forces have become increasingly reliant on space resources for communications, intelligence, weather forecasting, missile warning and targeting, navigation, and timing of operations. Recognizing that US space assets have become an integral part oftoday's warfare, the Department of Defense (DOD) has begun to emphasize the importance of protecting these resources. Although US military space systems have been relatively unchallenged, military leaders. anticipate increasing threats to these systems because they provide a significant military advantage.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, the Iraqi forces attempted to jam signals from US NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. The United States must look now to overcome future threats on space systems that may not be as blatant as that example.

In response to such threats to satellite systems, the USAF’s Defensive Counter Space (DCS) Program provides for defensive activities to protect US and friendly space-system assets, resources, and operations from enemy attempts to negate or interfere. The program also includes prevention activities that limit or eliminate an adversary’s ability to use US space systems and services for purposes hostile to US national security interests. The range of potential threats being addressed by the DCS Program includes radio transmissions that interfere with or jam command links with satellites, computer hackers taking over control of a satellite, and direct attacks using high-energy electromagnetic radiation or lasers to disable satellite systems.

As part of the overall DCS Program, the RAIDRS represents a hybrid architecture made up of sensors, communication links, and data processing systems intended to analyze the data from satellites and determine if they are being adversely affected by some external force. The RB-10 system would provide capabilities to detect, characterize, geolocate, and report SATCOM RFI occurrences on US communication satellites.

The RAIDRS Program would provide a capability to identify when an external force is adversely affecting US satellites and other space systems. The RAIDRS system architecture consists of ground-based satellite downlinks and a communications network. As a subset of the overall RAIDRS Program, the RB-10 would implement a system to identify possible direct radio frequency interference (RFI) of space systems from both friendly and unfriendly military and commercial sources. It would provide near real-time detection, characterization, geolocation, and reporting ofRFI events affecting US-protected communication satellites. Implementing the RB-10 will require establishing a worldwide network of command centers, and fixed and transportable ground sensor systems.

The RAIDRS effort supports mission area architecture development, concept exploration, and engineering and manufacturing development to provide attack warning, threat identification and characterization, and rapid mission impact assessments of U.S. space systems. The concepts explored will investigate the technical architecture, operational concept, support concept development, training, verification (test), and deployment of a Rapid Attack Identification Detection and Reporting System (RAIDRS).

Incremental capability deliveries are planned. As part of the overall RAIDRS Program, the proposed RAIDRS–Block 10 (RB-10) would implement a system to identify possible direct radio frequency interference (RFI) of space systems. It would provide near real-time detection, characterization, geolocation, and reporting of RFI events affecting US-protected communication satellites:

• Primary Central Operating Location (COL) at Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado Springs, Colorado (CO)
• Backup COL at another AFB within the continental United States
• Up to six Hosted (fixed) Interference Detection System (IDS)/SATCOM Geolocation System (SGS) Sites at any of the USAF or other DOD installations in the United States that have existing satellite communication earth terminals. The SGS antenna would have a 16- to 23-ft (5- to 7-m) diameter parabolic dish that would rotate on a fixed pedestal mounted on a new or existing 200 square-ft (19 square-m) concrete pad.
• Up to six Deployable (transportable) IDS/SGS Sensor Systems and one non-deployable IDS/SGS Trainer System home-based (garrisoned) individually or in pairs at AFBs somewhere in the United States. The first unit would be home-based at either Peterson AFB or Patrick AFB near Cocoa Beach, Florida (FL). If needed, the program would establish the non-deployable Trainer System at Peterson AFB. To provide transportable IDS and SGS capabilities for the RB-10 system, each Deployable Sensor System would contain various pieces of equipment to ensure system operations and personnel support while the system is fielded. This includes: IDS trailer mounted 18-ft (5.4-m) diameter antenna dish; SGS trailer mounted 18-ft (5.4-m) diameter antenna dish; Flyaway Triband Satellite Terminal (FTSAT) with an 8-ft (2.4-m) diameter antenna dish, mounted on a collapsible tripod (for remote, high-speed communications when existing communications infrastructure is unavailable); Inflatable Shelter (environmental protection for personnel).
• Up to six Remote (fixed) IDS Sensors located at USAF or other DOD installations somewhere within the United States, US territories and possessions, and the USAKA.
• Hosted IDS/SGS Sites. Up to six Hosted IDS/SGS Sites located at any DOD installations overseas that have existing SATCOM earth terminals.
• Remote IDS Sensors. Up to 20 Remote IDS Sensors located at existing DOD or other US-controlled facilities in other foreign countries.

Although the RB-10 system architecture would interface with existing Department of Defense (DOD) owned and used communication satellites in orbit around the Earth, the orbiting satellites do not require modifications, nor does the RB-10 require new satellites for system operations. The initial RB-10 system would monitor communication satellites operating in the super high frequency (SHF) bands; the USAF may upgrade the system at a later date to include other radio frequencies. Communications between RB-10 ground-based elements would occur via existing US communication satellites, SATCOM earth terminals, and the Global Information Grid (GIG).

The RAIDRS prototype, the Satellite Interference Response System, was initially deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in July 2005 for a 120-day proof of concept. Out of this initial success, SIRS was redesignated as RAIDRS Deployable Ground Segment Zero and has been continually deployed to the AOR as Operation Silent Sentry. Airmen from the 16th and 380th SPCS have provided the preponderance of the required manpower for this deployed mission since January 2007.

U.S. Air Force Space Command held a groundbreaking ceremony 28 July 2011 for the Rapid Attack Identification, Detection and Reporting System (RAIDRS) at Radio Transmitter Facility (RTF) Lualualei in Waianae, Hawaii. The RAIDRS program supports defense counter space operations and consists of sensor and decision support elements, providing space system users with real-time awareness of the nature and source of attacks.

The RAIDRS architecture includes five networked antenna array sites worldwide to identify direct radio frequency interference of commercial or military satellites from both friendly and unfriendly sources. "The mission that we have is very important. As a defense department, our demand for bandwidth has been growing and we're relying more and more on satellite communications," said Col. Douglas Cool, deputy director of Space Superiority Systems Directorate. "Today we have the opportunity to break ground on the very first RAIDRS site that will help us find out what is causing problems in our satellite communication and help us find out where those problems are to solve them."

Capt. Patricia Cole, commanding officer of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific (NCTAMS PAC), offered her remarks to the audience during the ceremony. "I'm very pleased that NCTAMS PAC could represent the Navy in fostering and help enabling this tremendous capability," Cole said. "This is a great day for both the Air Force and the Navy."

The RAIDRS site at RTF Lualualei was scheduled to be completed in spring 2012. Other RAIDRS sites in Florida, Germany, Japan and U.S. Central Command were scheduled to be completed within two years.

The 16th Space Control Squadron and 380th Space Control Squadron, a Reserve Associate Unit, formally broke ground near the east gate 17 January 2012 for the new RAIDRS space control facility. "This has been an incredible feat, especially when you consider the very challenging fiscal and manpower age in which we live," said Col. Chris Crawford, 21st Space Wing commander. The $14.3 million facility will be 47,427 square feet once completed and house personnel from the 16th and 380th SPCS. "With the birth of the new building we finally have the opportunity for the entire set of units to live together, to work together in one building," Crawford said.

The new facility will be the central operating location for the RAIDRS system. The facility at Peterson, along with various suites of transportable antennas deployed around the world, will be able to detect, characterize, geolocate and report sources of radio frequency interference on U.S. military and commercial satellites in direct support of combatant commanders.