Ground-Based Aerospace Defence 2030: A Concept for Ground-based Aerospace Defence in the Army-After-Next

This working paper proposes a concept for the Australian Army's Groundbased Aerospace Defence (GBAeD) system of 2030. GBAeD 2030 is part of a balanced joint force, and an integral element of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) air-defence system. It will be able to operate autonomously or as part of a coalition force. GBAeD 2030 will be important to achieving the future military roles, and have utility for tasks that do not require force.

Regardless of the operational task, GBAeD 2030 contributes to force protection by analysing aerospace activity, increasing situational awareness and defending key manoeuvre and strategic assets against hostile aerospace threats. These threats will include a range of uninhabited and inhabited aerial vehicles, helicopters, and cruise missiles. GBAeD 2030 will help to counter space surveillance by providing information on space-based informationgathering platforms and advice on countermeasures.

Acting as a system within the ADF Aerospace Defence System (ADS), GBAeD helps commanders to achieve freedom of action by:

• identifying aerospace activity within the battlespace
• engaging hostile aerial targets that threaten the commander's freedom of action, and
• providing advice on measures to avoid the effects of hostile aerospace activity, including the impact of space-based reconnaissance.

Like today's force, GBAeD 2030 will be based on three subsystems:
sensors, battle management and response options. However, GBAeD 2030 will be built with different priorities from those of today, the first being the requirement for a robust information subsystem. This priority recognises that information is essential to the ADF ADS, coalition airspace management, and to commanders that require a clear analysis of the aerospace situation. The system's robust nature comes from its ability to correlate information into a recognised battlespace picture through a battlespace management system. The system will also have a potent sting from its ability to employ the right type of response against assigned or threatening targets. These response options can plug into the system architecture at any time.