Lockheed Martin Aerial Common Sensor
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The Lockheed Martin Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) platform is a reconnaissance aircraft based upon the commercial ERJ 145 airframe, for the United States Army and Navy. The aircraft will be able to detect troop movements, intercept enemy communications and radar transmissions, and communicate with other aircraft. It will have synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical and infrared detection instrumentation.
The Army intends to acquire 34 units, with 19 going to the Navy. The initial contract, awarded on August 3, 2004, is valued at $79 million, but total contract value through 2010 will be $879 million. Beyond that, the total program cost could reach $7 billion, with only 20-30% going to EMBRAER. The ACS will be used to replace three existing Army and Navy platforms—the RC-7 ARL, RC-12/RU-21 Guardrail, and EP-3E Aries II. Testing will begin in 2006, and full-rate production will begin in 2009. While the Army has fully committed, the Navy has not as of yet, and may instead opt for a modified version of the Multimission Maritime Aircraft.
The Lockheed Martin entry beat a consortium of Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics Gulfstream, using the G450 platform. The competing entry attempted to play up nationalist sympathies, and give the impression of a security risk by using a Brazilian airframe, provided by EMBRAER, using their more affordable, reliable, and cost effective (the latter two being subjective) ERJ 145 platform—Gulfstream's airframe did have longer range and could fly at higher altitudes but the acquisition and operational costs (main requirements of DoD for ACS platform) of ERJ145 are much more attractive. Both electronics packages were equivalent and had no major influence in this decision.
EMBRAER will produce the first five airframes in Brazil, while final assembly on following units will take place in Jacksonville, Florida, to satisfy Department of Defense workshare requirements. Electronics integration will be conducted by Lockheed Martin at an unannounced site.
External links
Globalsecurity.org ACS entry (http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/acs.htm)
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