E-9A unique flying mission provides sea surveillance, telemetry

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Reel
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  It may not be as loud as a fighter nor as fast, but the E-9A "Widget" is an essential asset to the mission of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron.

The aircraft itself was originally a twin turboprop Bombardier de Havilland Dash-8 commuter aircraft used in short to medium range transport and capable of carrying up to 32 passengers -- that was before the Air Force acquired two of them.

The Air Force's only two E-9A aircraft are highly modified versions of the Dash-8 and are used primarily as a sea surveillance platform. As such, the aircraft is used to ensure that the Gulf of Mexico waters remain clear of boat traffic during live weapons launches and drops as well as other potentially hazardous military activities.

The E-9A provides 360-degree radar coverage and datalink relay of approximately 200 surface contacts. But, sea surveillance only scratches the surface of what the E-9A is capable of accomplishing.

"Though the aircraft is primarily used to monitor the water's surface for boaters during live fire events, these aircraft also provide telemetry relay assistance to support the evaluation of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapon systems," said Garry Acree, 82d ATRS E-9A pilot. "After patrolling the area for surface contacts, the aircraft is used to collect telemetry information yielding weaponry performance data from the fighter jets missiles or bombs and tracking scoring from the drone."

For the telemetry aspect of the mission, the aircraft is equipped with a phased array antenna on the right side of its fuselage that simultaneously receives, records, and downlinks five spatially separated telemetry sources. The E-9A is capable of sending this information to either Tyndall or to Eglin Air Force Base range. The E-9A also provides an over-the-horizon ultra high frequency command initiate and destruct relay system as well as increased telemetry receive and record data rates.

"Telemetry is the technology of being able to collect performance data from a distance on weaponry which could be a missile or a bomb," Acree said. "The fighter jet's missile systems are also equipped with telemetry packs and those radio signals are picked up by the E-9A. The aircraft then records the data and relays the signals to analysts on the ground to see what is happening with the jet's missiles. Scoring data received from the drones is also relayed."

Acree further explained that the data collected and analyzed ensures that "the warfighter has the utmost confidence in the capability of his or her weapon system."

Acree also mentioned another capability of the E-9A, which is UHF radio relay.

"This capability allows us to act as an antenna in the sky to relay ultra high frequency radio transmissions to a controlling agency from a low flying aircraft, a vessel on the water's surface, or even a downed crewmember, as long as we are within radio range and the entity has an operable UHF radio," Acree said. "This is absolutely necessary for some missions which begin in the Atlantic Ocean, transit the Gulf of Mexico and terminate on the Eglin AFB range."

Gene Miller, 82nd ATRS quality manager and deputy program manager of Aero Tech Service Associates Inc. (ATSA), explained that maintenance on the E-9A is an efficient use of resources.

"There are approximately 17 contractors that maintain the aircraft," said Miller. "They perform system and aircraft specific maintenance. The contractors are responsible for pre-flight and post flight inspections."

The team spends roughly three hours of maintenance per flying hour. With that investment, the Widget delivers a 92 percent scheduling effectiveness rate, 80 percent mission capable rate and a telemetry effectiveness rate of 90 percent.

"The E-9A is a viable asset because of its cost and its practicality," Acree added. "It is cheaper to maintain and more effective to fly the E-9A compared to sending up fighter jets to survey the area. On average, the E-9A flies approximately three to five hours per sortie, but is capable of flying up to six hours plus per sortie. With only two aircraft in the inventory, we stay very busy."

The 82d ATRS commander, Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, stated that his squadron's vision is directly supported by the E-9A program.

"The squadron's long range vision focuses on safety, stewardship and superiority," said Wilkins. "The E-9A is the most effective and efficient way to ensure the safety of boaters and commercial vessels within the Gulf of Mexico. Simultaneously, the Widget ensures that we fully test and evaluate every single weapon system to ensure the taxpayer is getting the appropriate return on their investment. Finally, ruling the skies is the ultimate goal and the E-9A is vital to ensuring additional decades of American air superiority.

"The 82nd ATRS operates the Defense Department's only full scale aerial targets program, maintaining more than 70 full scale QF-4 aircraft as well as approximately 30 reuseable subscale targets on a regular basis."

The drones provide target support for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army for developmental and operational tests. They also provide target support for the Air Force Weapon System Evaluation Program, the Air Force Weapons Instructor Course and William Tell. The capabilities of the E-9A can also be used by other DOD entities, such as the Navy and Army, which will often deploy units to Tyndall for weapon system testing. Tyndall also hosts dozens of American units annually as well as Joint, Coalition, and Allied nations.