HELLFIRE_Script_4-16-14_TAIP_-_updated.pdf

Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

HELLFIRE TEST FACILITY

EGLIN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

(E-OMS) INDUSTRY DAYS

4 JUNE 2014

WELCOME TO THE HELLFIRE TEST FACILITY. THIS FACILITY IS

PRIMARILY USED FOR TESTING PRODUCTION LOT SAMPLES AND

DT&E ROUNDS OF THE ARMY'S HELLFIRE MISSILES. MISSILES ARE

FIRED FROM TS C-7A, THE HELLFIRE LAUNCH FACILITY, AND IMPACT

TARGETS ON TEST AREA C-72, TS C- 7A, AS WELL AS FOUR

INSTRUMENTED TARGET AREAS AND THREE OPTICAL TRACKING

SITES THAT ARE REMOTELY CONTROLLED FROM TS C- 7, HELLFIRE

CONTROL, VIA A FIBER OPTIC DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THE

FIBER OPTIC SYSTEM PROVIDES BI-DIRECTIONAL DATA LINK

BETWEEN THE CONTROL FACILITY AND INSTRUMENTATION LOCATED

AT SITE C-7A AND ON TEST AREA C-72. THE FIBER OPTIC SYSTEM

CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES OF CABLE.

MISSILES MAY BE LAUNCHED FROM ANY OF THREE FIXED

LAUNCH PLATFORMS AT TS C-7A. MISSILES ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY

CONDITIONED FROM -45 TO +145 DEGREES F. ALSO, MISSILES MAY

BE LAUNCHED FROM HELICOPTERS OR OTHER MOBILE PLATFORMS.

TS C-7, OR HELLFIRE CONTROL, IS 6 MILES FROM THE LAUNCH

SITE C- 7A, WELL OUT OF THE SAFETY FOOTPRINT. ASSETS AT TS C-

7 INCLUDE THE CONTROL BUILDING CONTAINING MANY COMPUTERS,

VIDEO TRACKING CONTROL STATIONS, AND VIDEO MONITORING

EQUIPMENT; THE HELIPAD AND HANGAR; A SUPPORT SHOP WITH

WOOD AND METAL WORKING EQUIPMENT; AND A TELEMETRY

GROUND STATION.

THE HANGAR IS USED TO SUPPORT HELICOPTER OPERATIONS

DURING AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED TESTING. THE HANGER PROVIDES A

SECURE LOCATION FOR THE TEST CUSTOMER TO PERFORM

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE, PRE-FLIGHT/POST-FLIGHT OPERATIONS,

AND MODIFICATIONS. THIS AREA ALSO INCLUDES A TAXI WAY AND

HELICOPTER PAD TO SUPPORT FLIGHT OPERATIONS. THE HANGAR

WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1994 AND HAS SURVIVED SEVERAL

HURRICANES AND SUSTAINED MINIMAL DAMAGE.

THE HELLFIRE CONTROL ROOM IS USED AS AN INTEGRATED,

MISSION CONTROL POINT FOR SITE OPERATIONS. THIS AREA

PROVIDES MISSILE, LAUNCHER, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONING,

VIDEO TRACKER, LASER DESIGNATOR, INSTRUMENTATION, AND

TELEMETRY CONTROL AND DATA COLLECTION. ALL SYSTEMS CAN

BE CONTROLLED REMOTELY TO LIMIT PERSONNEL ACCESS TO

HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH MISSILE TESTING.

LASER DESIGNATORS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS GROUND LASER

LOCATOR DESIGNATORS OR GLLDS, ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT

LASER GUIDED MISSILE TESTING. THE LASERS ARE POSITIONED IN

THE TARGET AREA AND ARE REMOTELY CONTROLLED FROM TS C-7.

THE DESIGNATORS HAVE INTEGRATED INFRARED CAMERA SYSTEMS

TO VERIFY LASER ENERGY ON TARGET.

THE VIDEO TRACKER CONTROL STATIONS ARE USED TO

PROVIDE TIME, SPACE AND POSITION INFORMATION ON MISSILES,

BOMBS, AND AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. THERE ARE 3 TRACKING

PEDESTALS LOCATED ON C-72 AND INCLUDE TRACKING DOMES,

DRIVE MOTORS, AND STANDARD VIDEO AND MID-WAVE INFRARED

IMAGERS. THE VIDEO AND CONTROL DATA IS TRANSMITTED VIA THE

FIBER OPTIC SYSTEM. THE TRACKERS CAN BE SLAVED TO THE

TRACKING RADAR SYSTEM AT C-10 TO AID IN TARGET ACQUISITION.

POST PROCESSING IS ACCOMPLISHED VIA COMPUTER CONTROLLED

VIDEO PROCESSING SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE THE TSPI SOLUTION FOR

EACH LAUNCH.

THE VIDEO PRODUCTION ROOM IS WHERE ALL VIDEO

SIGNALS FROM THE RANGE ARE RECORDED AND PROCESSED FOR

DISTRIBUTION TO THE CUSTOMER. CURRENTLY, THIS IS

ACCOMPLISHED VIA DIGITAL RECORDERS AND INTEGRATED WITH A

DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING SYSTEM.

THE TELEMETRY ROOM IS USED TO DECODE AND RECORD

TELEMETRY DATA TRANSMITTED BY A MISSILE IN FLIGHT. THIS DATA

IS USED BY ANALYSTS TO INTERPRET TEST RESULTS.

THIS CONCLUDES THE HELLFIRE PORTION OF THE TOUR.