Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense contractor in terms of revenue, emerged
victorious in a competitive U.S. Army contract over its rival, General Dynamics Mission Systems.
The contract entails the development of a comprehensive electronic warfare, signals
intelligence, and cyber system, which the Army considers crucial for its "deep sensing" strategy.
Both Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics Mission Systems were engaged in preliminary
design and software demonstrations, as stated in the contract announcements made in August.
Viewers may note that the Army last year awarded Lockheed and General Dynamics an
initial contract to develop designs for the system during an 11-month competition period.
In this video, Defense Updates reports on the Long-range Electronic Warfare system
being developed by US Army. Let's get into the details.
The TLS-EAB (Tactical Long-Range Electronic Warfare, Signals Intelligence, and Cyber System)
is designed to cater to the needs of larger Army formations, such as divisions and corps,
consisting of thousands of troops and substantial firepower. It holds significant importance as a
vital component of the deep sensing strategy, enabling the identification, monitoring,
and engagement of adversaries at extended and secure distances.
This capability is imperative due to the presence of technologically
advanced forces like China and Russia, which require the Army to operate with
enhanced situational awareness and increased standoff capabilities.
Lockheed Martine is already working on TLS-EAB’s smaller, more tactically focused
sister, known as the Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team, or TLS-BCT,
and an airborne jammer dubbed Multi-Function Electronic Warfare-Air Large, or MFEW-AL.
Deon Viergutz, Lockheed’s vice president of spectrum convergence,
said in a statement on June 27,
“The U.S. Army’s family-of-systems concept is a proven model for developing and delivering
converged cyber and electronic warfare technologies into the hands of the
warfighter quickly, cost-efficiently, with lower risk, and at the speed of relevance,”
As per Viergutz, the next steps for TLS-EAB prototyping will feature a
deliberate focus on soldier feedback and open digital infrastructure to ensure
the system “can be easily tailored for specific mission requirements”
Lockheed will build a prototype of the TLS-EAB, at its facility in Syracuse,
New York in the next 21 month , the deal is worth $37 million.
The US Army has recently adjusted its approach to the TLS-EAB (Tactical Long-Range Electronic
Warfare, Signals Intelligence, and Cyber System), acknowledging that a uniform solution may not be
suitable for all scenarios. It recognizes that a platform designed for operations in Europe may not
be the most appropriate tool for the operating environment in Asia. This shift in perspective
highlights the importance of tailoring the TLS-EAB to specific regional requirements
and considering the unique characteristics and challenges of each operational theater.
As per US Army budget documents, the service plans to spend $859,000 for procurement in
fiscal 2024 for TLS-EAB, which will be a new-start program. It also plans to spend
$66.4 million on research-and-development in 2024, which will go toward integration,
demonstration, experimentation, prototyping and vendor testing, among other activities.
Total R&D funding for the effort over the next five years is projected to be $175.8 million.
US Army is using a middle-tier acquisition approach for the program “to rapidly deliver
an integrated ground intelligence, electronic warfare and cyber capability on multiple
platform types to align with maneuver forces,” the budget documents state.
The initial deployment of the first unit is planned for the third quarter of 2025,
while production and fielding are anticipated to take place between 2026 and 2030.
Furthermore, the Army has recently issued a request for proposals specifically focused on
acquiring a dismounted capability associated with TLS-BCT (Tactical Long-Range Electronic Warfare,
Signals Intelligence, and Cyber System at the Brigade Combat Team level).
This request reflects the Army's commitment to expanding the TLS capabilities to individual
dismounted soldiers, enhancing their effectiveness and situational awareness in the battlefield.
Also, the Army is currently soliciting bids for the subsequent phase of its Electronic Warfare
Planning and Management Tool. Raytheon has been involved in the development work of this tool thus
far. This system is recognized as the essential component that integrates all electronic warfare
capabilities on the battlefield. It acts as a command-and-control planning capability,
enabling forces to visualize the potential impacts of such weapons and devise strategies
to safeguard their forces and systems from being disrupted or jammed during operations.
Deon Viergutz said in a release, “The U.S. Army’s Family of Systems
concept is a proven model for developing and delivering converged cyber and electronic
warfare technologies into the hands of the warfighter quickly, cost efficiently,
with lower risk, and at the speed of relevance. Moving into this next phase, we are going to
continue to embrace Soldier Touch Points to drive the design while leveraging a proven
DevSecOps pipeline and an open architecture that will enable a highly interoperable, configurable
21st Century Security solution that can be easily tailored for specific mission requirements.”
Electronic
Warfare (EW) stands as one of the most crucial and technologically demanding elements of contemporary
military operations. It encompasses a wide range of activities and technologies aimed at denying,
disrupting, or exploiting the use of the electromagnetic spectrum by adversaries.
In the modern battlefield, where information and communication systems play a pivotal role,
EW capabilities have become essential for maintaining a competitive edge.
It involves both defensive measures to protect friendly forces from electronic
threats and offensive operations to neutralize or exploit the enemy's electronic systems.
The complexity of EW arises from the continuous advancements in technology, which constantly
introduce new communication methods, sensors, and electronic systems. Effectively conducting
EW operations requires a deep understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, sophisticated equipment,
and skilled personnel capable of analyzing, intercepting, and countering electronic threats.
The need for such technology emerges from the evolving threat landscape, where advanced
adversaries are compelling the US Army to operate at extended distances. As a result,
the Army requires the capability to sense at greater ranges and at higher levels of command.
The multi-prong approach is likely to bear fruits in the medium to long term.