More On Army Assets of Use in Search for Maryland Sniper

Journal of Electronic Defense ^ | 10/16/02 | Sherman

[pabianice]

...Still another part of the ISR apparatus is the work done at lower flight levels by the Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Multifunction (ARL-M) system, a manned airborne collection platform comprised of imagery, radar, communications intelligence, data links and communications systems that provide near real-time intelligence information to the tactical commander. The ARL-M "Crazy Hawk" X-band SAR is fitted aboard the DeHavilland Canada RC-7B ( DHC -7C Model 102 commercial) airplane and consists of radar, communications-intelligence and imagery-intelligence systems. A complement to Guardrail, it, too, is slated to be replaced when the Army fields its Aerial Common Sensor full operational capability scheduled for FY07.

Indeed, the Aerial Common Sensor program seeks to develop a follow-on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance asset to replace the existing Airborne Reconnaissance Low and Guardrail/Common Sensor systems, including the recently fielded Guardrail 2000 - the seventh generation of the Guardrail system. Guardrail 2000 also represents the Army's first operational implementation of the Joint Avionics SIGINT [signals- intelligence] Architecture (JASA).

As already noted, the US Army is currently focusing upon UAVs to do ISR work. The AAI (Hunt Valley, MD) Shadow 200 is the latest of the UAVs to be assigned ISR duty for the Army. Recent Shadow 200 tests proved-out the upgraded hydraulic launcher design, tested the integration of the Op 200 EO/IR payload, and demonstrated the tactical automatic landing system (see "US Army TUAV Development Proceeds to Test Series 300,"JED , January 2001). The Army's payload priorities for Shadow are (1) EO/IR; (2) SAR/MTI; and (3) Communications Relay. Shadow 200 has so far been tested with the Inframetrics MKIII EO/IR payload (FLIR Systems AB, Danderyd, Sweden), and the Israeli Aerospace Industries' TAMAM Night Targeting System (NTS), Multimission Optronic Stabilized Payload (MOSP), and Plug-in Optronic Payload (POP 200). The current SAR/MTI UAV package - originally designed to be carried aboard the Outrider UAV - is currently flying on Predator and will soon be tested aboard Hunter.

http://www.jedonline.com/default.asp?journalid=4&func=articles&page=0102j13&year=2001&month=2&srchexpr=DHC#hls1

[pabianice]

More military ISR intel at www.navlog.org.

[Joe Brower]

"Interesting info for your books" ping.

[Deguello]

Here is how I think it will play out. We will use several of these aerial reconnaissance platforms with ground listening devices stationed all over the the DC area combined with the shooting ban for Maryland and surrounding areas.

The ground post will record the next gunshot, triangulate the coordinates which is then passed by linked computers to the aerial platforms. The reconnaissance aircraft will then focus to the given coordinates, lock on at that time to any person(s) or vehicle(s) from which the shot came from. The perps will then be tracked to their safehouse and then intercepted by the FBI SWAT teams.

[Travis McGee]

Thanks! I'd like to know if there is software that can scan rapidly through thousands of cell phone conversations and lock on the Arabic speakers.

[DWPittelli]

I'd like to know if there is software that can scan rapidly through thousands of cell phone conversations and lock on the Arabic speakers.

It's widely reported that the NSA has such technology. But since there's only one shooting at a time I don't know why the snipers, even if they are an Arab team, would use their cell phones.

[michigander]

In case anyone hasn't or doesn't want to register:
Airborne Reconnaissance - Low (ARL)