ELITE Threat Emitter System Phase II

The USAF requires investment in improved combat aircraft training infrastructure and threat replication capabilities.  Air Combat Command (ACC) has recognized the threat-training gap as one of the top priorities in its “ACC Future Training Concept - 2020”.  In response, Advanced Strategic Insight (ASI) proposes a solution—ELITE (Expendable Low-Cost Integrated Training Emitter), which consists of a ground based threat simulator that is mobile, remotely cued, proven to work in 4th and 5th Generation USAF fighter aircraft, and able to be destroyed in training, as it is only 1/100th of the cost of currently fielded (non-destructible) threat emitters.  ELITE enables all USAF units to potentially be outfitted with this training opportunity for less than it would currently cost to establish a single threat emitter representative aircraft training range.  No current electronic warfare range currently allows for full tactical execution from Find, Fix, and Target, to Track, Engage, and Assess, yet ELITE would provide that full end-to end training to enable USAF aircrews to truly ‘train as they would fight’ for the first time against expendable threat emitters.  ASI’s novel approach provides this opportunity for aviators to exercise the entire tactical kill chain including employing kinetic airpower and collecting bomb hit assessment, thereby honing combat habit patterns for a potential near-peer engagement.  In the proposed Phase 2 activity, ASI will develop the successful SBIR Phase I ELITE concept into a complete production level (purchasable and sustainable) product for the USAF, including enhancements such as over the horizon control of multiple ELITE systems, long endurance capacity, and integration of a new digital transmitter.