If the UK government needs to justify why it is spending more than $1 billion on the ASTOR system its response can be summed up in one word: Kosovo.
"Accurate and timely information is crucial to the success of the British armed forces in a wide range of operations, from humanitarian aid missions to major conflicts," John Spellar, UK under-secretary of state for defence, commented at the Paris air show.
"If we did not know that before the recent campaign in Kosovo, we certainly know it now. In future ASTOR will give us what we need better and quicker."
In the age of "smart" bombs and the "CNN factor", the need to be able hit the enemy hard, while avoiding television images of dead civilians is paramount.
Summing up the a key lesson from the Kosovo crisis, US defence analysts Forecast International says: "While the new generation of precision-guided weapons can strike with accuracies measured in a few feet, this capacity is wasted if the targets are wrongly identified or their natures improperly understood.
"The deployment and use of precision-guided munitions will demand ever more complete and accurate target intelligence."
Finalised
The ASTOR requirement, under consideration by the UK Ministry of Defence almost 18 years, has set demanding requirements for its new system, which will be finalised in detailed negotiations before a contract is signed by the end of the year.
ASTOR has to be able to observe deep behind enemy lines or across hostile borders for hundreds of miles, using a variety of radar modes. These include synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that produces photograph-like images and moving target indicator (MTI) radar that can track vehicle movements over large areas.
The areas to be monitored will be measured in thousands of square miles so the air platform needs to be able to fly at altitudes of around 50,000ft (15,000m) to get the best possible radar coverage.
Highlight
The SAR radar is in turn required to operate in two modes: spot mode to highlight a specific target, and swath mode, to build up a large picture by patching together a number of radar images.
Any data or imagery captured by ASTOR's sensors needs to be moved around the "digital battlefield" by means of so-called tactical internets to a number of headquarters and intelligence centres, via a number of data links.
Although ASTOR will carry a three-person mission crew, in addition to two flight deck personnel, they will only have a limited command and control role.
The UK ASTOR concept sees the air vehicle more as a collection platform than as a battle management platform itself.
Source: Flight Daily News
