NATO TIPS-AGS “Eye In the Sky” Consortium Submits Initial Risk Reduction Study
DID’s earlier coverage of the AGS system provides overall details of the $5.2 billion program, its components, and its key participants.
The initial contract we covered at that time is now complete. The TIPS industrial consortium, working with the Transatlantic Cooperative AGS Radar (TCAR) team, have submitted the study commissioned under the initial EUR 22 million NATO contract. It addresses issues such as overall system and radar-sensor development, cost issues and program risk reduction, and integration issues as its main priorities.
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The contents of that study are not available online.
AGS will perform similar ground reconnaissance functions to the larger Boeing 707-based E-8 J-STARS, using modified Airbus A321 aircraft, Global Hawk UAVs, and a combination of mobile, transportable, and fixed Ground Stations.
NATO’s decision to proceed with the program meets the NATO requirement for the AGS core capability, which will be a core component for the NATO Response Force. The TIPS-AGS mixed-fleet solution will also support a variety of new mission requirements for NATO including nation building, homeland security and humanitarian relief. Initial AGS Operating Capability is scheduled for 2010-2011, while Full Operational Capability is scheduled for 2012-2014.
