Covert, Survivable In-weather Reconnaisance/Strike (CSIRS)

quellish

quellish

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In 1980s press reports of the "stealth fighter" before public disclosure of SENIOR TREND, the program name "CSIRS" for "Covert, Survivable In-Weather Reconnaisance/Strike" was mentioned as (possibly) being the "F-19" program.

This was actually a group of AF/DARPA programs that was intended to result in the Covert Strike Consolidated Demonstration (Covert Strike (PE 33103F Project 2831), Advanced Integrated Reference System, Weapon System Demonstration (PE 62601F), Automated Target Recognition). This was an outgrowth of the Covert Strike System Study (PE 62204F).

The primary component of the Covert Strike program was a bistatic radar system. A remote radar in a "sanctuary" would illunminate the target, while attacking aircraft or munitions would passively receiver reflected radar energy. The radar itself grew out of an earlier program, Tactical Bistatic Radar Demonstration (T-Bird). The Covert Strike effort existed as early as 1982, but seems to have become a formal program of record as a new start in 1984.

The system was to be demonstrated in concert with very low observable munitions dispensers, and the intent was to not only produce new-build Covert Strike capable radars but to retrofit the capability to existing systems (F-15, F-16, B-1). The munitions dispensers for this effort may have lead to HAVE SLICK and other similar programs of the 1980s and 1990s.
 
From various Senate proceedings in 1981-1982:

Towards this goal, we are starting a new program, Covert Survivable In-weather Reconnaissance/ Strike. The program features use of advanced radar concepts to enhance survivability of aircraft penetrating heavily defended areas.
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Funnily enough the B-2's APQ-181 is often described as a "covert strike radar". Coincidence? ;D
 
PaulMM (Overscan) said:
Funnily enough the B-2's APQ-181 is often described as a "covert strike radar". Coincidence? ;D
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Not a coincidence. It's not only LPI, but apparently does have a bistatic capability. And in some documents from as late as 1995, there are indications that conventional aircraft are "Covert Strike" capable.
Makes you wonder what the emitter is.
 
Is this to say that the previous assumptions that CSIRS had to do with various alleged secret aircraft prototypes/designs is totally wrong?
 
Stargazer2006 said:
Is this to say that the previous assumptions that CSIRS had to do with various alleged secret aircraft prototypes/designs is totally wrong?
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It appears to have been an avionics program to develop "stealthy" radar for recce & strike including bistatic and LPI techniques.
 
PaulMM (Overscan) said:
It appears to have been an avionics program to develop "stealthy" radar for recce & strike including bistatic and LPI techniques.
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Avionics, and the demonstration program included VLO brilliant munitions.
 
quellish said:
The primary component of the Covert Strike program was a bistatic radar system. A remote radar in a "sanctuary" would illuminate the target, while attacking aircraft or munitions would passively receiver reflected radar energy.
Click to expand...


quellish said:
Not a coincidence. It's not only LPI, but apparently does have a bistatic capability. And in some documents from as late as 1995, there are indications that conventional aircraft are "Covert Strike" capable.Makes you wonder what the emitter is.
Click to expand...


"A remote radar in a sanctuary"?? would this be something like a stand off radar operating in friendly airspace? Hard to see how this would work for the B-2's original mobile missile hunting mission, guess this was part of what AARS was for?
 
In WW II Germany already developed the bi-static "Klein-Heidelberg" system, then using the British
Chain Home stations as emitters. THe principle should work still today, so the emitter could be just
a known system on enemy territory.
 
Mat Parry said:
quellish said:
The primary component of the Covert Strike program was a bistatic radar system. A remote radar in a "sanctuary" would illuminate the target, while attacking aircraft or munitions would passively receiver reflected radar energy.
Click to expand...


quellish said:
Not a coincidence. It's not only LPI, but apparently does have a bistatic capability. And in some documents from as late as 1995, there are indications that conventional aircraft are "Covert Strike" capable.Makes you wonder what the emitter is.
Click to expand...


"A remote radar in a sanctuary"?? would this be something like a stand off radar operating in friendly airspace? Hard to see how this would work for the B-2's original mobile missile hunting mission, guess this was part of what AARS was for?
Click to expand...

AWACS? satellites? Tacit Blue?
 
Mat Parry said:


"A remote radar in a sanctuary"?? would this be something like a stand off radar operating in friendly airspace? Hard to see how this would work for the B-2's original mobile missile hunting mission, guess this was part of what AARS was for?
Click to expand...


AARS sensors are unlikely (for the B-2) for several reasons. Keep in mind this wasn't developed for the SRT mission, it was intended to have broader tactical applications. BSAX is certainly a possibility and the timeframe fits. But it could be anything.
 
Initially, Tacit Blue was part of the Pave Mover program aimed at developing a stealthy reconnaissance aircraft with a low probability of intercept radar, for operation very close to the forward battle lines.
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The Cutting Edge - RAND

The Pave Mover radar will provide target acquisition and guide the missile to target engagement by the seeker
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http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=laMtAAAAMAAJ&q=pave+mover+bistatic&dq=pave+mover+bistatic&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YxeTUpfRJ4GXkQWBi4GYBg&ved=0CFcQ6AEwBA

The Covert Strike and Pave Mover programs are working on technologies for bistatic and synthetic aperture radar (SAR),
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http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=8UQrAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA97&dq=pave+mover+bistatic&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YxeTUpfRJ4GXkQWBi4GYBg&ved=0CEwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=pave%20mover%20bistatic&f=false
 
Two bistatic SAR programs sponsored by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) successfully illustrated the viability of these concepts
in the early 1980s [7]. The COVIN REST (Covert, In-Wx Recce/Strike) program demonstrated
the first space-to-air bistatic SAR. Operating at L-band, the Shuttle Imaging Radar served as an
illuminator, and a Convair CV-990 acted as the bistatic receiver. Due to the rapid orbital motion of
the space shuttle, spotlight illumination was not feasible, and strip map processing was employed
instead. As shown in Figure 10–2, a 60-foot resolution image of Sioux City, Iowa was successfully
generated. The COVIN REST demonstration thus showed that a SAR image could be formed
bistatically through the use of a transmitter safely located in orbit and a passive receiver.


The T-BIRD (Tactical Bistatic Radar Demonstration) program exhibited the feasibility of
bistatic imaging with a forward-looking receive platform. A C-141 functioning as a transmitter
at a 20 –30 km slant range was successfully teamed with a receiver onboard a C-130. At a bistatic
angle of β = 30°, the system was able to form a 10-foot resolution image of Demonstration Hill
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Artist’s rendition of the Tactical Bistatic Radar Demonstration (TBIRD) concept. A stand-off SARequipped
aircraft (upper right) detects and illuminates a target (lower right) while designating an
attack aircraft (left) equipped with a bistatic receiver to the target area. The attack aircraft acquires
the target using SAR imagery directly on its velocity vector in RF silence. Further details of the
program are in Chapter 10. (Operational concept from Ref. 64; painting replicating the concept from
Goodyear Aerospace Corp.)
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Advances in Bistatic Radar (2007) edited by Nicholas J. Willis, Hugh Griffiths
 

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PaulMM (Overscan) said:
The T-BIRD (Tactical Bistatic Radar Demonstration) program exhibited the feasibility of
bistatic imaging with a forward-looking receive platform. A C-141 functioning as a transmitter
at a 20 –30 km slant range was successfully teamed with a receiver onboard a C-130...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCPictureLookup.asp?FileName=PictureDatabase%5CC141%5CAACR0010_61-2777_NC141A_AMARC_C.jpg

I was a flight engineer on these four aircraft from 1981-1992 and flew several test projects on 61-2777 One called T-Bird that was flown in Tuscon which was a side looking radar test...
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From some of the relevant documents (from FY1984 planning documents):

COVERT STRIKE

2. (U) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ELEMENT AND MISSION NEED: Surface-to-air defenses in the 199Os will be extensive, requiring covert ingress and egress if the aircraft and crew are to survive. This program element funds advanced development of a radar concept which will lower the enemy's ability to detect attacking aircraft. Develops a bistatic radar system providing a covert/survivable in-weather strike/reconnaissance capability which satisfies both Air Force validated mission requirements for advanced tactical fighter/bomber and penetrating recce aircraft.
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5. (U) RELATED ACTIVITIES: The Covert Strike program builds upon the joint Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/Air Force Avionics Laboratory Tactical Biatatic Radar Demonstrations and Bistatic Technology Transition, and the Covert Strike System Study effort funded in PE 62204F (Aerospace Avionics). It also draws upon low probability of intercept, automatic target classification and sonostatic ultra-high resolution synthetic aperture radar technologies being pursued in PE 63203F (Advanced Aircraft Avionics). The Very High Speed Integrated Circuits technology being pursued under PE 6342SF (Very High Speed Integrated Circuits) will be used in the radar signal processor in the final Consolidated Demon- stration. Covert Strike will also make use of the blended aerodynamic shape technology (weapon airframe technology) from PE 62601F (Conventional Munition Technology). Inter-Service coordination takes place in the Joint Air Force/Navy Radar Working Group, the TriService Airborne Displays Working Group, and a Tr-Service Background and Targeting Agreement
originated by the Air Force Armament Laboratory.
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ADVANCED AIRBORNE RADAR

A. (U) Project Description Conducts investigations of biatatic radar concepts including operational requirements analysis, receiver/processor design, waveform selection, timing system accuracy requirements, navigation/reference system performance requirements, processing algorithm development, signal processor performance and software design, system fabrication and flight test (including flight test).
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3.(U) FY1984 Planned Program: Initiate the Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar efforts to demonstrate feasibility of bistatic covert acquisition and accurate tracking of fixed and mobile surface targets. This test system will demonstrate, under limited maneuvering (3 g's or less), an on-board, real-time bistatic capability with high resolution synthetic aperture radar at near operational ranges. Initiate the Advanced Integrated Reference System effort to demonstrate precision reference system (position, velocity and time) sensors to provide the accurate reference frame required for ultra-high resolution synthetic aperture radar imagery. Emphasizes development of precision time standards and a feasible approach for maintaining coherent radar operation between the separately located illuminator (transmitter) and aggressor (receiver) aircraft.
(U) The major program objective is to develop a covert/survivable in-weather strike/ recce capability for the 1990s. The principal technology used is bistatic radar, where the target is illuminated by a radar operating in a sanctuary while the strike/recce aircraft penetrates and acquires the target In a "listen only" mode. This technique allows effective use of stealth technologies, enhances surprise attack, and denies the enemy effective use of high gain jamming. The FT 1984 funding begins initial work to demonstrate bistatic target acquisition and reference system technologies to show concept feasibility. Cost Is based on engineering estimates derived from experience on similar advanced development programs,
(U) The program consists of four major efforts pursuing key technical areas. Together they will demonstrate feasibility and provide all necessary Information for Full Scale Development of a Covert Strike, bistatic radar. Bistatic receiver technology feasibility will be demonstrated by PY 1988 with near term application to strategic and tactical missions through the addition of a passive mode to inventory and/or advanced systems.
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(U) The Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar effort will demonstrate the feasibility of bistatic, covert acquisition and accurate tracking of fixed and mobile surface targets. The Advanced Integrated Reference System effort will develop and demonstrate precision reference (position, velocity, time) sensors to provide the accurate reference frame required for ultra-high resolution synthetic aperture radar imagery. ?ull use of the Covert Strike bistatic radar system necessitates early investigation of weapons which will exploit this capability. The Weapon Development Demonstration effort will Investigate how advanced weapon concepts such as tactical munitions dispensers with very low radar cross sections can be integrated with the Covert Strike system. The final phase of the program is the Covert Strike Consolidated Demonstration which provides a flight test of the "full-up" Covert Strike system.
5. (U) Program to Completion: Complete design and begin hardware fabrication on the Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar and Advanced Integrated Reference System efforts. Initiate Weapon Development Demonstration to investigate how advanced weapon concepts can be integrated with Covert Strike to fully exploit its covert capabilities. This project will examine tactical munitions dispensers with very low radar cross sections as well as alternative launch and forget missiles. Feasibility of the Covert Strike concept is to be proved by FY 1988. At this time, sufficient technology will have been demonstrated to permit application to strategic and tactical missions through the addition of a passive
mode to inventory (F-1S, F-16, and B-1B) and/or advanced systems. If the 8hstatic Synthetic Aperture Radar, Advanced Integrated Reference System, and Weapon System Demonstration are successful, the final phase of the program (Covert Strike Consolidated Demonstration) will begin in FY 1989. This provides a flight test of the "full-up- Covert Strike system including automatic target acquisition and classification, ultra-high resolution synthetic aperture radar Imagery, and weapon delivery against tactical targets. The flight test will be completed in the 4th quarter of FY 1992.
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Mr London 24/7 said:
PaulMM (Overscan) said:
The T-BIRD (Tactical Bistatic Radar Demonstration) program exhibited the feasibility of
bistatic imaging with a forward-looking receive platform. A C-141 functioning as a transmitter
at a 20 –30 km slant range was successfully teamed with a receiver onboard a C-130...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCPictureLookup.asp?FileName=PictureDatabase%5CC141%5CAACR0010_61-2777_NC141A_AMARC_C.jpg

I was a flight engineer on these four aircraft from 1981-1992 and flew several test projects on 61-2777 One called T-Bird that was flown in Tuscon which was a side looking radar test...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...


More on 61-2777 - http://www.c141heaven.info/dotcom/61/pic_61_2777.php (linking 'Against the Wind - 90 Years of Flight Test in the Miami Valley (http://contrails.iit.edu/History/against/Book.pdf))
 

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