Alliance Ground Surveillance

The NATO-owned and -operated AGS Core capability will enable the Alliance to perform persistent surveillance over wide areas from high-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned air platforms operating at considerable stand-off distances and in any weather or light condition. Using advanced radar sensors, the AGS Core will continuously detect and track moving objects throughout the observed areas, as well as providing radar imagery of areas and stationary objects.

Just as NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (NAEW&C) – also known as AWACS – radar aircraft monitor Alliance airspace, the AGS Core will be able to look at what is happening on the earth’s surface, providing situational awareness before, during and, if necessary, after NATO operations.

Components

The AGS Core will be an integrated system consisting of an air segment and a ground segment.

The air segment will be based on the Block 40 version of the US RQ-4B Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV will be equipped with the state-of-the-art multi-platform radar technology insertion program (MP-RTIP) ground surveillance radar sensor, and also with an extensive suite of line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight long-range, wideband data links.

The ground segment will provide an interface between the AGS Core system and a wide range of Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) systems to interconnect with and provide data to multiple deployed and non-deployed operational users, including reach-back facilities, remote from the surveillance area. 

The primary ground segment component will consist of a number of ground stations in different configurations, such as mobile and transportable configurations, which will provide data link connectivity, data processing and exploitation capabilities, and interfaces for interoperability with C2ISR systems. The AGS Core ground segment will also include dedicated mission support facilities at the AGS Main Operating Bases (MOB), and ground stations for flight control of the UAVs.  The Main Operating Base will be located at Sigonella Air Base, Italy.

The composition of the AGS Core system will provide NATO with considerable flexibility in employing its surveillance capabilities in a manner that can be tailored to the needs of any emerging situation.

The Core system will be supplemented by interoperable national airborne stand-off ground surveillance systems from NATO countries, thus forming a system of systems.

Mechanisms

The AGS Capability Steering Committee (CSC) is responsible to the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) for the Programme to acquire the AGS Core.  The Alliance Ground Surveillance Support Staff (AGS3) supports the CSC, drawing upon the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency for contracting support as necessary.  The AGS3 serves as the informational hub between the AGS nations, NATO bodies and industry. The AGS Implementation Office (AGS IO) at SHAPE is responsible for ensuring the successful operational integration and employment of the NATO AGS Core Capability.

Evolution

On 20 February 2009, the NATO nations participating in the AGS programme started the process to sign the Programme Memorandum of Understanding (PMOU).  This was a significant step forward on the road towards realizing an urgently required, operationally essential capability for NATO.  Once the signature process is complete, the NATO AGS Management Agency (NAGSMA) will be established to expeditiously prepare for the award of the AGS contract. 

Facts and Figures

General Characteristics of the Global Hawk RQ-4B :

• Primary function: High-altitude, long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
• Power Plant: Rolls Royce-North American AE 3007H turbofan
• Thrust: 7600 pounds 
• Wingspan: 130.9 feet / 39.8 metres
• Length: RQ-4B, 47.6 feet / 14.5 metres
• Height: RQ-4B, 15.3 feet / 4.7 metres
• Weight: RQ-4B, 14 950 pounds / 6781 kilograms
• Maximum takeoff weight: 32 250 pounds / 14 628 kilograms
• Fuel Capacity: 17 300 pounds / 7847 kilograms
• Payload: 3000 pounds / 1360 kilograms
• Speed: 310 knots / 357 mph / 575 kph
• Range: 8700 nautical miles / 11 0112 miles / 16 113 kilometers
• Ceiling: 60 000 feet / 18 288 meters