$8B ACS Spy Plane Program Shot Down By Pentagon
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On September 9, 2005, DID described the Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) program, a joint US Army/ US Navy program that would replace three different reconnaissance planes used for signals interception (SIGINT), ground-looking SAR radars, and imagery intelligence (IMINT). “ACS Reconnaissance Plane: The Kerfuffle Around the Shuffle” covered the ACS program’s origins, the planes it aimed to replace, the reasons a redesign/ rethink had become necessary, and the challenges and option facing Lockheed in light of the September 2005 funding suspension.
DID’s November 18, 2005 follow-up noted that Lockheed had dropped Embraer’s ERJ-145 jet from its proposal in favor of Bombardier’s larger, longer-range, longer endurance Global Express jet. Its new design would closely resemble the in-service British ASTOR Sentinel R1 in order to offer lower risk, greater cost certainty, and even allied interoperability. Hedging its bets, Lockheed also offered the US military a cut-down ERJ-145 option with less equipment as a lower-budget alternative.
In the end, however, neither move availed them.
- The ACS Program: No Happy Ending (continue reading…)
- ACS: What Now?
- ACS: Lessons Learned?
- ACS: Additional Readings & Sources
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