Joseph Lazarus presents Sensor to Shooter Concept F-35 and HIMARS integration

1. The Marriage between HIMARS and the F-35 Joint Strike fighter.

2. Article written by 2 BN 14th Marines Proposes the idea of merging the two technologies of HIMARS and the F-35

3. Integrating the sensor capabilities of the F-35 with the long range precision fires ofHigh Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) offers the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Commander or Joint Force Commander revolutionary capabilities in identifying, locating, and destroying enemy targets. The marriage of the F-35 sensor capabilities with HIMARS long range precision fires capitalizes on the strengths of both systems and mitigates their respective weaknesses. The F-35s stealth and target acquisition capabilities provide the MAGTF and the Joint Force with revolutionary advancements in locating targets. However, the F-35 is limited by the organic payload it can deliver when operating in stealthconfiguration. HIMARS has the ability to deliver precision fires out to distances of 186 miles but lacks an organic ability to precisely locate targets. The marriage of the F-35 and HIMARS is one based out of military necessity. In the past, targets identified for attack with ground based precision munitions required additional mensuration of coordinates in order to accurately hit the target and achieve the desired effects. This step often leads to target decay on mobile targets which translates to missed opportunities. Integrating the sensor capabilities of the F-35 with HIMARS precision fires eliminates the need to further refine targets that have been located and been designated for attack. It allows for the rapid engagement of enemy targets that will provide the MAGTF and Joint Force a tactical advantage that will be necessary to defeat a near peer on the battlefield

4. HIMARS and F-35

7. The total mission time from receipt of call for fire to missile impact was under eight minutes. Seven minutes were spent processing, transmitting, and preparing the launcher to fire. Missile time of flight added 40seconds. • Dugway Proving Grounds offers exceptional flexibility to HIMARS units in planning for target engagements and also clearing airspace required for GMLRS shots. The range control staff is comprised of personnel who make the difficult appeareasy. • WTI 18-1 • The next planned integration between HIMARS and F-35 will occur at WTI 18-1 during AST-2. We will build off the success of WTI 17-2 and have the F-35 communicate digitally with the CAC2S (Common Aviation Command and Control System) in the DASC, thus eliminating the need to transmit a voice call for fire. The 2/14 liaison element will be positioned to take the data transmitted to CAC2S and manually input this into the AFATDs in order to re-establish the digital loop (the CAC2S and the AFATDS are not interoperable with current software programs of record. Future models of both systems that have the ability to communicate, however, will be fielded to the DOD). This will reduce the time required to process the mission, but it remains a temporary solution until the F-35 can communicate directly with either the AFATDS or the M142 launcher controlpanel. • It is imperative that we continue to maximize the capabilities of the F-35 and HIMARS in training and capture best practices. We should also find opportunities to apply these lessons in limited war. By employing these two systems in training and war, we will have better defined tactics, techniques, and procedures that allow us to effectively communicate, de-conflict airspace, and rapidly engage dynamic targets with long-range precision ground fires against a near peer. This marriage of capabilities will enhance F-35 survivability against anti-air defenses and provide the F-35 with a robust compliment of precision-guided munitions to augment its organic capability. The combination of advanced sensors with HIMARS range and precision will also increase survivability of our ground forces. 1 We must be relatively faster and more accurate in our delivery of fires given our disadvantage in munitions, numbers of artillery systems, and range. HIMARS and the F-35 provide the MAGTF commander or joint force commander with the relative advantage of speed and accuracy to negate strengths of near peer adversaries. • Note • 1. MG Robert H. Scales, “Russia’s Superior New Weapons,” The Washington Post, (Online: August 2016), available at Caution-https://www.washingtonpost.com < Caution-https://www.washingtonpost.com > (link isexternal). • ============cutline============ • A lethal combination: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and M142 HIMARS sensor-to-shooter integration. By Col. Joe Russo • Published in: Fires: The Joint Publication for U.S. Artillery Professionals, November-December2017. • Article Highlights: • The potential synergy of F-35/ M142 HIMARS sensor-to-shooter integration has immediate, long-term applicability throughout the range of militaryoperations.

8. additional mensuration was truly the take away, and an indicator of the enhanced combat potential of the tethering of these systems. On a broader scope, the F-35’s ability to identify and locate targets, and rapidly transmit targeting data to ground-based Fires systems, be they rocket, missile or cannon, has tremendous potential to complement ground-based target acquisition capabilities in support of both ground combat element (GCE) and MAGTFcounter-Fires. • In addition to GMLRS, both Marine Corps and Army HIMARS units currently have the ability to employ Army Tactical Missile System at ranges in excess of 162 miles. The ability of F-35s to penetrate enemy airspace-defenses, precisely identify targets, and relay those acquisitions to ground-based precision Fires systems at standoff ranges offers a revolutionary capability to the MAGTF/JFC deep-shapingeffort. • Current TTPs to address the digitalgap. • The F-35 can pass limited digital traffic to Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) located in the DASC, but there is no digital CFF interoperability between CAC2S and AFATDS. Any information passed digitally to the CAC2S has to be manually entered into AFATDS to be sent to the battery or platoonFDC. • The F-35 can pass targets of opportunity using a voice CFF to the DASC or FSCC. This then must, likewise, be manually entered into an AFATDS and sent digitally to battery or platoonFDC. • Of note, while common for ground command and control agencies to have AFATDS operators, it is uncommon in the DASC and other senior air command and control agencies to have skilled AFATDS operators, knowledgeable in precision, surface-to-surface firesemployment. • In the interim, integration between the F-35, DASC, FSCC and HIMARS FDCs should be exercised to implement best TTPs. This will reduce kill-chain times and standardize employment of a liaison element to provide skilled AFATDS capability to air command and control agencies. Ultimately, the revolutionary combat effectiveness of this pairing can only be truly realized when the means to transmit a digital CFF from the aircraft to AFATDS can beestablished. • Integrating with the 34th FighterSquadron. • From June 4 -17, Battery D(-) 2/14th again deployed to Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah, to develop joint interoperability TTPs between Air Force F35 JSFS and Marine Corps M142HIMARS. • The overarching intent of the exercise wasto: • Develop a live-fire GMLRS SDZ and training relationship with Dugway ProvingGrounds. • Provide timely and accurate GMLRS missile Fires, developing TTPs for HIMARS/F35 jointintegration. • Conduct joint C-130/HIMARS-raid training in which HIMARS and Multiple Launch Rocket System family of munitions are transported to a firing point by strategic lift aircraft and engage targets identified by USAF F-35s. • Exercise long-range HF communications in order to refine C2 in a SATCOM denied-degraded operating environment. • The exercise highlighted the first joint live-fire integration between HIMARS and USAF F-35s. The 34th Fighter Squadron provided one section of F-35s daily from June 13-14 to locate ground targets using onboard sensors to be prosecuted by HIMARS precision guided munitions. Directsensor-to-shooter

9. HIMARS F-35 after successful digital operations

10. CLASSIFICATION:UNCLASSIFIED -----Original Message----- From: Russo Col JosephJ Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2018 3:30PM To: Stout LtCol Kevin M<kevin.stout@usmc.mil> Subject: Fw: Integration of F-35 &HIMARS Sent from my BlackBerry 10smartphone. OriginalMessage From: Rowell Col George B<george.rowell@usmc.mil> Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2018 10:45AM To: Russo Col Joseph J; Wellons Col James B; Annibale Col Marcus B; Vallhonrat Civ Gregory S; Wilson LtCol Carlton A; Swan Col William H; Bianca Col Anthony J; Frey Col James W; Legens Col MichaelT Subject: RE: Integration of F-35 &HIMARS Gents, Below if the first pass pilot report from this pastweek: Following is a brief synopsis of the first two days of the combined JOTT and MAWTS-1 conduct of AFATDS/HIMARS tactical demonstration from 7-8 February in Yuma, Arizona. The intent was to observe aircraft and weapons system digital interoperability with respect to control of surface indirect fires. These first two days consisted of various transfer of messages from the F-35 (both 3F and 2B software) to THSv2 and then through a CFF from THSv2 toAFATDS. Various messages were passed from the F-35 to THSv2 including K4.1 Observation Reports, K2.27 CAS Requests, K01.1 Free Text messages, K2.33 CAS Briefs, and K2.57 A/C Attack Position and Target Designation (APTD) Reports. The 2B aircraft was limited to K4.1 and K01.1 formats. K4.1s were passed using both waypoint and Pilot Track/Next to Shoot(PT/NTS). Utilizing the waypoint for passage of the K4.1 message seemed to be more accurate than the PT/NTS. The 3F coordinates were fairly tight. Targeting seems possible from 3F observations. Larger discrepancies were noted with handoff from the 2B aircraft. Initial thought from personnel on the ground was that 2B is not good for targeting based on the handoff error. Passage of target type and affiliation was correct from both 2B and 3Fsoftware. The K2.57 message from 3F aircraft seemed to be even tighter than the coordinates from the K4.1 message. Initial assessment is that they aretargetable. K2.27 and K2.33 messages were passed from the 3F F-35s to THSv2. Information seemed accurate betweensystems,

11. 1/18/2020 Gmail - Fwd: FW: Integration of F-35 & HIMARS(UNCLASSIFIED) • but there was some handoff error noted, specifically inHAT. • According to personnel on the ground, THSv2 transfer of coordinates to AFATDS was a fairly painless process. A CFF was transmitted to AFATDS with no requirement for manual entry of target coordinates or HAT from the JTAC. Some handoff error was noted from A/C through THSv2 to AFATDS. Initial thought is that this is a conversion error from LAT/LONG and HAE, to MGRS and MSL, back to LAT/LONG and HAE once again. More to follow. Lateral error was fairly minimal but there is some vertical error concerns. Impact angles of weapons will probably mitigate much of the error. • Specifics on handoff error data omitted. They are available on SIPR ifrequired. • Good news so far. Baja's MAWTS-1 Air Officers were also involved, and I am interested if they had any further or conflictinginfo. • I realize this is a small step, and a one with perhaps marginal utility in a near-peer conflict due to range. We still collectively need to push the L16 to K-serieschain. • R/Sack • From: Russo Col JosephJ • Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 3:29PM • To: Wellons Col James B <james.b.wellons@usmc.mil>; Annibale Col Marcus B <marcus.annibale@usmc.mil>; Vallhonrat Civ Gregory S <gregory.vallhonrat@usmc.mil>; Wilson LtCol Carlton A <carlton.a.wilson@usmc.mil>; Swan Col William H <william.swan1@usmc.mil>; Bianca Col Anthony J <anthony.j.bianca@usmc.mil>; Frey Col JamesW • <james.frey@usmc.mil>; Legens Col Michael T<michael.legens@usmc.mil> • Cc: Rowell Col George B <george.rowell@usmc.mil> Subject: RE: Integration of F-35 &HIMARS • Baja • Believe THSV2 will experience the same issues as previously encountered in our previous direct attempts with AFATDS. The current Variable Message Format (VMF) header data is not compatible between MIL-STD-188-220D Change 1 vs MIL-STD-188-220C, and MIL-STD-2045-47001D vs MIL-STD-2045-47001C. (MCTSSA was able to successfully transmit and receive a free text message between the Aircraft and THSV2...but this should not be...as noted yesterday at Lockheed Martin... ourend-state). • During the AFATDS to F-35 demonstration, two issues wereidentified: • AFATDS does not have the timing parameters or operator selectable option for UHF communication over the AN/PRC- 117G radio with theF-35. • There are differences in VMF protocol stack layers that cause interoperability issues as they are not compatible with the current version of AFATDS 6.8.1.1. The current header data is not compatible between MIL-STD-188-220D Change 1 vs MIL-STD-188-220C, and MIL-STD-2045-47001D vsMIL-STD-2045-47001C. • Currently, 188-220D/47001D functionality is not planned until AFATDS Version 6.8.1.1 P2(FY19). • Interested to hear if the VMX-1 gang has something more than the above summarized assessment from MCTSSA? SF • Joe • -----Original Message----- From: Wellons Col JamesB • Sent: Monday, February 5, 2018 11:48AM • To: Gering BGen Bradford J <bradford.gering@usmc.mil>; Rudder LtGen Steven <steven.rudder@usmc.mil>; Annibale Col Marcus B <marcus.annibale@usmc.mil>; Vallhonrat Civ Gregory S <gregory.vallhonrat@usmc.mil>; Wilson LtCol Carlton A <carlton.a.wilson@usmc.mil>; Swan Col William H <william.swan1@usmc.mil>; Bianca Col AnthonyJ • <anthony.j.bianca@usmc.mil>; Frey Col James W <james.frey@usmc.mil>; Legens Col MichaelT • <michael.legens@usmc.mil> • Cc: Rowell Col George B <george.rowell@usmc.mil>; Russo Col Joseph J <joseph.russo@usmc.mil> Subject: RE: Integration of F-35 &HIMARS • Sir, • https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=e9e6502b5c&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f%3A1655984134811975559&simpl=msg-f%3A16559841348…2/9

12. Post Exercise HIMARS Rapid Infiltration (HIRAIN) Live FireDugway Proving Grounds, Utah 30 March 2018 • MIssion • On 30 March 2018, Battery K(-) 2/14 conducted a 2 x C-130 borne HIRAIN mission from Fort Campbell, KY to Dugway Proving Grounds, UT IOT demonstrate service level advancement of HIMARS long range air raid capabilities and tactical resupply. • Exercise Highlights • Raid originated from Fort Campbell, KY with raid force travelling 1,661miles via 1 x USAF MC-130 and 1 x USMC KC-130. • HIMARS employed JPADS in-flight GPS sustainment for increased responsiveness upon debarkation from aircraft. • Raid force executed GMLRS live fire 5oo meters off of the airfield IOT realistically demonstrate responsive fires and survivability/extract. • Target information updated by 6th ANGLICO to Joint Air Operations Center and then to MC-130/HIMARS while in-flight. • Tactical resupply of GMLRS munitions demonstrated w secondary arrival of KC-130. GSE ammunition cart prototype employed. • 6th ANGLICO provided observation of fires. • Exercise Overview • 1x USAF MC-130 aircraft, 1x USMC KC-130 aircraft. • 1 x M142 Launcher, 1 x additional pod of resupply ammunition delivered with prototype GSE cart. • HIRAIN conducted into C-130 capable airfield in order to deliver ground based precision fires against known enemy air defense assets IOT enable permissive offensive air operations. • FAHQ liaison employed in Joint Air Operations Center to facilitate airspace integration/ digital communication link from sensor to shooter. • Updated target location information transmitted to JAOC, and then to MC-130/ embarked M142 HIMARS while in flight to raid firing point. • USAF MC-130 utilized to facilitate in air refueling/extended range capabilities of the raid force. • 10 x USMC Raid Package • Units • K/2/14 • 6th ANGLICO • 9th Special Operations Squadron (MC-130) • 388th Operational Support Squadron (JAOC) • VMGR 234 (KC-130) • Lockheed Martin Missile & Fire Control Division FSRs DPG 1661 miles Ft Campbell

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16. Working F-35-HIMARS Integration: Shaping a Way Head for a 21st Century Distributed ... Page 8 of8 The primary missions for our tactical agencies will remain throughout our MACCS modernization. As new common sets of equipment are fielded, the ability to employ future hybrid agencies becomesrelevant. For example, the clearance requirements for extended range munitions have made knowledge of the ground situation and MAGTF fires critical for all MACCSagencies. The proliferation and persistent presence of UAS and civilian aircraft through the AO require all MACCS agencies to have access to an air picture. Integration with special operations forces and the increased capabilities of new MAGTF platforms, such as the F‐35 and MV‐ 22, will enable hybrid employment options for MACCS agencies as we modernize and align our equipment andpersonnel. We must recognize the significant challenges of the future operating environment and develop an aligned approach to fight andwin. The MACCS and AGS communities enable the MAGTF commander to maintain control of the battlespace, maximize effects, and shorten the killchain. The next generation of aviation expeditionary enablers are approaching Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of our AC2 family of systems (CAC2S, TPS‐80 G/ATOR, and CTN) and we are on pace to provide game‐changing capabilities to the MAGTF ensuring continued freedom ofaction. © 2019 SLDinfo.com All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions(/terms-conditions). https://sldinfo.com/2018/06/working-f-35-himars-integration-shaping-a-way-head-for-a-21...2/13/2019

17. The future of the modern battle space is a greater emphasis on digital connectivity. Every Platform is a shooter, a sensor and can share that information across the battlespace