Memorandum from The Boeing Company
In response to the House of Commons Defence
Committee's request for evidence regarding its inquiry into the
contribution of ISTAR to operations, The Boeing Company is pleased
to submit the following evidence. In this document we provide
information about: The Boeing Company; Boeing Defence UK Ltd;
Boeing's ISTAR platforms and domain knowledge, including Network
Enabled Capability, ScanEagle, E-3D AWACS, Apache AH MK1 and a
concluding statement.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Boeing is the world's leading aerospace
company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and
military aircraft, with capabilities in rotorcraft, electronic
and defence systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and
advanced information and communication systems. The company's
reach extends to customers in 145 countries around the world and
Boeing is the number one US exporter in terms of sales. Headquartered
in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Boeing employs more than 160,000 people
in more than 70 countries.
2. Boeing has a long standing relationship with
the UK dating back almost 70 years and today the UK remains a
critically important market for the company, as a supplier base
and a source of technology partners. Boeing's annual spend in
the aerospace industry supports thousands of jobs around the UK,
in the process generating intellectual property and facilitating
exports.
3. Boeing typically sources more from the
UK than from any other country in the world, except the USA. In
2005, the company bought more than $1billion of services and materials
from around 300 UK suppliers. There are currently more than 600
Boeing UK employees, in locations from Perth to Gosport.
4. The Boeing Company also has an extensive
network of industrial and academic partners and suppliers across
the UK. Boeing works with a number of Universities in the UK and
has established multi-year collaborative research and technology
relationships with several including Cambridge, Cranfield, Southampton
and Sheffield.
BOEING DEFENCE
UK LTD
5. A subsidiary of The Boeing Company and
a business unit of Boeing's Integrated Defence Systems, Boeing
Defence UK Ltd currently has employees at 20 locations throughout
the UK supporting Ministry of Defence (MoD) and US military programmes.
Boeing Defence UK is strengthening its ability to accommodate
future business growth as it continues its alignment with the
MoD's Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) which calls for delivery
of UK military capability through the development of UK-based
expertise and technology.
6. Boeing Defence UK is positioned to support
the through-life system-of-systems programme management to complex
defence programmes. Along with engineering and integration, as
an integrator, Boeing Defence UK delivers through-life capability
and through-life technology management, as well as alliance development
and supply chain management.
7. One such way Boeing Defence UK is delivering
capability is through the company's Analysis, Modelling &
Simulation facility, The Portal, located in Farnborough with partner
QinetiQ. The Portal enables future military hardware and software
solutions to be assessed in a variety of operational environments.
Comprised of personnel from Boeing Defence UK and QinetiQ, The
Portal is tasked with providing a robust experimental architecture
including a realistic scenario, detailed mission briefs and, most
importantly, a rigorous analysis plan.
8. Delivery is a cornerstone of business
for Boeing Defence UK. Boeing's extensive capabilities can be
seen in the variety of platforms utilised by the UK armed forces,
enhancing operational effectiveness. From the C-17 Globemaster
III transport aircraft and the heavy-lift capability of the Chinook,
to the Apache AH MK1 attack helicopter, Boeing platforms and the
services provided to support these and other platforms, are making
a difference to the frontline.
NETWORK ENABLED
CAPABILITY
9. Boeing as a system-of-systems integrator
has vast expertise in coalescing sensors and advanced communications
technologies to link soldiers with both manned and unmanned ground
and air platforms and sensors. In order to amplify operational
effect, soldiers on the frontline can now be linked to a wide
range of weapons, sensors, and information systems by means of
mobile networks that enable unprecedented levels of interoperability.
10. Boeing embeds Network Enabled Capability
(NEC) into the core of all its capabilities world-wide. Boeing
believes that NEC offers commanders the decisive advantage through
timely exploitation of information and intelligence that enhances
operational effectiveness on the battlefield. Implementation of
NEC is through the coherent and progressive development of defence
equipment that includes software, processes, structures and individual
and collective training. Analysis, Modelling, Simulation and Experimentation
is becoming increasingly well recognised as a vital component
in helping the UK's armed forces understand the complexity of
integrating the ISTAR process—Collection, Process and Dissemination—and
associated equipment. The Portal facility in Farnborough, is a
collaborative project between Boeing and QinetiQ that combines
the necessary skills and tools to help the commander understand
available courses of action. The power of the network for increasing
capability is well known however, Boeing's platforms are able
to work effectively within the network, but also importantly they
can deliver effective combat power in a stand alone manner. With
that in mind the following paragraphs will, in accordance with
the scope of the inquiry, outline Boeing's platforms currently
delivering military capability.
SCANEAGLE
11. Boeing and its subsidiary the Insitu
Group developed and built a low-cost, long-endurance autonomous
unmanned vehicle, called ScanEagle. ScanEagle is based on Insitu's
Seascan miniature robotic aircraft and draws on Boeing's systems
integration, communications and payload technologies. ScanEagle's
standard payload includes a stabilised electro-optical camera
that allows easy real time tracking of stationary and moving targets.
With the USMC ScanEagle has flown many thousands of hours providing
persistent low-altitude reconnaissance that delivers a coherent
intelligence picture over some of the world's most complex operational
theatres.
12. The ScanEagle system also has been used to
support the MoD's Joint UAV Experimentation Programme (JUEP),
through an industry team that includes Thales, QinetiQ and Boeing.
During trials conducted off the coast of Scotland, ScanEagle was
successfully controlled from a Royal Navy warship, proving its
ability to support maritime as well as land based operations.
E-3D AWACS
13. The E-3D Sentry, Airborne Warning and
Control System (AWACS), based at RAF Waddington, has been in service
with the RAF since the late 1980's and remains today an important
component of the ISTAR triad, that additionally includes the Sentinel
R1 along with the Nimrod R1. The fleet of seven E-3Ds perform
airborne and naval surveillance, command and control (C2) as well
as communications functions.
14. The UK E-3Ds were produced in the AWACS standard
configuration, with some system improvements, and are powered
by GE/SNECMA CFM-56-2 high-efficiency, turbofan engines. Enhancements
added to meet the United Kingdom's unique mission requirements
include an enhanced maritime radar capability, a probe refuelling
system to augment the existing boom receptacle for in-flight refuelling,
a digital recorder for mission audio transmissions, improved radio
equipment and United Kingdom provided Electronic Support Measures
(ESM), for passive listening and detection capability.
APACHE AH MK1
15. The Apache has been in service with
the MoD for over four years and is making a major contribution
to operations in Afghanistan. The aircraft's systems have the
ability to take part in networked operations as well supporting
troops on the ground in a close air support role.
16. The aircraft can operate in all weathers,
day or night and can detect, classify and prioritise up to 256
potential targets at a time. Apart from the distinctive "Longbow"
mast-mounted radar, the aircraft is equipped with a 127x magnification
TV system, 36x magnification thermal imaging, and 18x magnification
direct view optics. Apache Longbow can carry 16 Hell-fire "fire-and-forget"
anti-armour missiles, 76 2.75in rockets and a 30mm chain gun.
The latest Apaches are able to control ISTAR assets such as tactical
UAVs from within the cockpit.
MULTI-MISSION
CAPABILITIES
17. Boeing's platforms are synonymous with
multi mission capabilities and in the maritime surveillance and
control domain, the P-8A Poseidon, combines long-range anti-submarine
warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance capabilities. Capable of broad-area maritime and
littoral operations, the P-8A will influence how the US Navy's
maritime patrol and reconnaissance forces train, operate and deploy.
On board P-8A, all sensors contribute to a single fused tactical
situation display, which is then shared over both military standard
and internet protocol data links, allowing for seamless delivery
of information amongst U.S. and coalition forces.
18. Boeing's team is developing the P-8A Poseidon
for the US Navy. The US Navy plans to purchase 108 P-8As, with
initial operational capability scheduled for 2013. In January
2009 Boeing was selected to provide eight P-8I long-range maritime
reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Indian
navy. India is the first international customer for the P-8 and
interest has been expressed by many countries.
CONCLUSION
19. This submission has sought to provide
information on a range of Boeing ISTAR programmes and platforms.
Boeing is committed to further developing ISTAR capabilities and
is developing technologies on-shore in the UK through its own
endeavour and also in collaboration with industry partners.
19 June 2009
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