Deep strike: Northrop Grumman demonstrates DSaT system for US Army

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 8th November 2024. 

Northrop Grumman has completed the second demonstration of its Deep Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) system, which is an airborne mission suite designed to gather space-based targeting data for the US Army’s deep strike systems, according to an October 21st press release from Northrop. 

The DSaT system was demonstrated at the US Army’s capstone experiment, Vanguard 24. The system is currently housed on a CRJ-700 civilian jet and during the test, combined multiple sets of space-based sensor data to provide a long-range targeting solution. It also used line-of-sight and beyond line of sight radios to communicate with other systems and demonstrate its ability to integrate into the existing US Army network. It also incorporated automation and intelligence analysis technologies to improve the efficiency and speed of the mission. 

This is the second test for DSaT, the first was in 2023 where it demonstrated the ability to fuse, “geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) imagery with aerial and terrestrial intelligence from commercial and military space systems,” Northrop Grumman said at the time. 

DSaT is designed to align with the US Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) platform and when the two platforms are combined, DSaT is, “positioned to support a mission roadmap that offers a complete solution for ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] and target nomination,” Northrop has said. 

The TITAN vehicle is shown here, it was used in the US Army’s Project Convergence 2022 series. The vehicle includes capabilities that can fuse sensor data from a variety of sources to support multi-domain operations. Credit: Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman has also developed land-based solutions to provide long-range targeting. The company is supporting the US Army’s Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) program, which is also designed to leverage space-based data as well as a range of other sensor data to provide deep strike targeting solutions to commanders on the ground. The TITAN product was used to inform development of DSaT, including the ability to integrate commercial and military space-based assets into a single operational picture. 

HADES is a separate airborne capability that is expected to be ready for fielding in 2026. “The goal is to provide deep-sensing intelligence collection of indicators and warnings, electronic order of battle and patterns of life for target development,” Dennis Teefy, Army project director for sensors-aerial intelligence, said in a September 2022 news release. 

The Sierra Nevada Corporation was awarded the HADES contract in August 2024 becoming the lead systems integrator. The sensor capability, which is expected to include a “moving target indication, high end signals intelligence, and other capabilities,” according to Andrew Evans, director of the US Army’s ISR Task Force, will utilise a Bombardier Global 6500 jet. The working plan includes the procurement of 14 jets for the HADES mission, the initial phase is understood to provide for three. 

Combined, these types of airborne sensors will enable the US Army to find and engage targets at extreme ranges – possibly up to 1,700 km using its future deep strike systems like the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). The LRHW is a land-based missile that uses a hypersonic glide vehicle to engage targets at very long ranges. It equips the US Army’s Multi Domain Task Forces (MDTF) alongside the Mid Range Capability, which is configured to fire the SM-6 and Tomahawk land attack missiles. Long-range missiles are valuable tools of modern warfare; Russia routinely uses its 9M723 Iskander quasi-ballistic missile to strike targets in Ukraine at ranges up to 500 km, for example. Ukraine likewise has employed its ATACMS to great effect by degrading Russia’s ammunition supplies by conducting deep strikes against ammunition depots. 

This image shows a notional order of battle (ORBAT) of an MDTF. The I2CEWS battalion may be responsible for integrating the type of targeting solutions generated by HADES. Credit: US Army.

However, it is always necessary to make sure that the force using a missile has timely and accurate targeting data. The cost of these missiles is significant, so they cannot be lightly wasted. And the time to launch them, and the time of flight means that ISR must be as recent as possible to ensure sufficient accuracy.

This might seem fairly obvious, but the longest range sensors that are typically held by an army on the ground will have a range of around 150 km. For anything with greater reach, the force commander would have to make requests to national assets – space-based systems or other services – to get targeting data. This introduces a targeting delay that could mean a fleeting opportunity is missed. So, by having systems like HADES and DSaT, the US Army will have long-range intelligence assets within its own span of command and be able to generate targeting solutions for its deep strike capabilities without having to request time and resources from other assets and services that are likely to be facing multiple competing demands. 

This concept will theoretically allow the MDTFs to rapidly strike key systems and nodes like air defence platforms, air bases, force concentrations, and supply depots in the opening phase of a conflict. This could deter an irresolute adversary from fully committing to a war, or at least help shift the balance in favour of US forces at an early stage of the ensuing conflict.