2. P-3C Early Computer Development at Univac Bob Blixt - 10 October 2006
In 1962 the Univac marketing folks located a promising Naval Air program at the Naval Air Development Center at Johnsville, PA, called ANEW. The objective of this program was to greatly improve the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities of the P-3 aircraft. The then aircraft had an analog system that needed to be updated to the digital world. With our NTDS work and proven capability in building military digital computers, we were a good fit to help them with their program.
Our first attempt was the use of a “left over” computer from the Titan program called ADD (Advance Digital Development) and a display system to show the possibilities of a digital airborne ASW system. The programming of the ADD computer proved to be very difficult so it was abandoned early in the game.
In 1964 we sold the development of a computer (CP-823U) for the ANEW test aircraft. This aircraft made flights to St. Paul so our programmers could add programs and make changes. Some test flights were made from here, one to Lake Superior to test dropping sono-buoys with the digital system.
The system continued development and the flight testing was set up at the Patuxant Naval Air Testing Center (Pax river) in Maryland. These tests required some of our programmers to go on these test flights. Some of our guys came back very airsick after going through some of the flight maneuvers of the test. We decided to recognize their “beyond the call of duty” effort and created the “Flying Programmer” award for them. It was this dedicated, creative hard work by these programmers that made this system go.
The system did go. After many months of hardware and software problems, a sea test was set. An American submarine was used as the target and the ANEW system with our computer and software tracked it.
The next step was a pre-production system. In 1966 we received our first contract for the CP-901 computer. I was given the job to go to Washington and pick it up. Programming for the new computer was also our job. The system requirements were set by the Naval Air Development Center so a Univac programming office was set up at Johnsville, PA (Westminster.) Programming was also done in St. Paul.
Production required a new interface for us to work with, the Lockheed company in Burbank, CA. I believe we were the first to bring the new digital world to Lockheed. We had several meetings with their management to explain the ANEW system and to talk about planning for it.
After many months of software and hardware development the system was coming together: software at Johnsville, hardware and software in St. Paul, the aircraft and other system components in Burbank. It was a thrill for me to go to Burbank and walk through the first P-3C on the production line after all the struggles we went through to get to this point.
Our first quantity production contract for the CP-901 computer was received in 1968. The P-3C went on for many years with many updates.
3. A History of the Relationship between Sperry Univac Defense Systems Division and Lockheed California Aircraft Company by Jim Rapinac
In 1963, Univac Defense Systems Division designed, developed and delivered a new airborne computer, CP-823U (Univac 1830) to the Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, PA, for U.S. Navy’s ANEW program, an advanced airborne digital avionics system for anti submarine warfare. The CP-823U design was based on the instruction set of the USQ-20B and was also software compatible. Future production versions were assigned a USN nomenclature of CP-901.
In 1965, Univac was selected as the contractor to supply CP-901 computers to the US Navy for the P-3C program, a digital avionics upgrade for new land based Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft.
Lockheed California Aircraft Company, Burbank, CA, also known as CALAC, was the principle contractor for the P-3C, and Univac and other suppliers were called associate contractors. Univac CP-901 computers and other sub-systems were contracted by the US Navy and shipped to CALAC as government furnished equipment (GFE).
The Univac field office at Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, PA, developed the P-3C operational programs which were also GFE'd to CALAC. Over 40 programmers worked on site at NADC and Univac continued work on various projects until NADC was closed in the late 1980’s. Jim Rapinac's high school friend's father, C.J. Henkel, had been chief engineer at CALAC but was now retired. He introduced Mr. Rapinac to several CALAC executives including George Papen, P-3C chief engineer, and Bert O'Laughlin, VP of Marketing. We had open access to Don Wilder, President of CALAC, and his successors, Fred Lashley and Fred Jacques. These high level contacts provided Univac marketing and technical managers direct access to the CALAC P-3C program office. CALAC was then an airframe company with little or no computer or software expertise. We convinced them that to sell off P-3C aircraft to the US Navy they had to have a system test program. George Papen finally saw the light and bought the idea. The P-3C system test software was one of Univac's largest software development programs at that time, 1968. More importantly, CALAC began to rely on Univac for software development and support!
The open and honest management style of Univac personnel combined with proven on time and on target performance forged a new and mutually beneficial relationship with CALAC for the P-3C program and future programs. Over 285 new P-3C aircraft were bought under the original program and several upgrade programs have extended the life of the P-3C, the first digital airborne anti-submarine warfare system.
In 1967 the U.S. Navy announced a new program, VS-X, a replacement for the Grumman S-2 carrier based ASW aircraft. Unlike the P-3C program, the VS-X would be a total package procurement with a single prime contractor. Grumman, McDonnell, Douglas, GD Convair, and CALAC were the initial competitors for a Concept Definition Phase Competition between 2 prime contractors followed by a down select to a single prime contractor.
The 5 bidders all contacted Univac DSD since at that time DSD had the only technical expertise in airborne ASW digital systems. Mr. Rapinac was assigned as VS-X marketing manager. We met with all 5 bidders several times over a period of 6 months. Our strategy was to select and team with one company. In 1967 Grumman and McDonnell Aircraft were the only bidders currently making carrier based jet aircraft. Douglas and GD Convair made carrier based propeller aircraft during World War II and CALAC had never designed or built carrier based war planes.
Grumman decided to pursue the F-4 replacement, VF-X, the F-14 Tomcat, which had planned quantities of over 1000 aircraft versus the VS-X by of 183 planes. They informally announced their no-bid decision, Grumman had been our first choice for teaming and now we decided that the second best choice was McDonnell Aircraft.
Then, McDonnell announced a merged with Douglas. The two VS-X bidding teams, one in St. Louis and the other in Long Beach, CA, were merged but frictions developed. We were within weeks of finalizing a teaming agreement with McDonnell Douglas when negotiations broke off. We decided to team with Lockheed Aircraft.
The CALAC VS-X team included Fred Jacques, Program Director; Dick Heppe, Chief Engineer; Wally Weber, Marketing Manager; and a new face, Sherm Mullen - who was brought to Burbank from Lockheed Electronics, Plainfield, NJ, to develop a technical group for digital computers, software and systems. Mullen later became President of the Lockheed Skunk Works and was responsible for the F-117 and F-22 fighter programs.
After numerous private off-site meetings at local Burbank restaurants, Univac DSD and CALAC signed an exclusive VS-X teaming agreement. Univac would be responsible for the computer and all operational programs and systems software. As part of the teaming agreement, Univac agreed to locate a technical team in Burbank, housed in Lockheed facilities.
In 1967, the U.S. Navy awarded 12 month Concept Definition Phase contracts to CALAC and GD Convair. It was no contest. CALAC won the VS-X development and production contract for 183 aircraft and support systems in 1968. The Univac portion of the initial contracts exceeded $200 million and was the largest single award in the history of the division (at that time.) Each 1832 airborne computer that was installed in S-3A aircraft had an initial price of $1 million! The names of CALAC and Univac became synonymous with success! As part of the Univac contract with CALAC for the S-3A program, DSD established a site in Valencia, California, near the CALAC Rye Canyon Facility. Over 40 programmers and systems engineers were relocated from St. Paul and Warminster, PA to staff the new site.
Univac DSD people directly involved in the VS-X program were Forrest Crowe, VP & General Manager, Dewaine Osman, VP, Marketing, Forrest Lowe, Marketing Director, Avionics Systems, Arnie Hendrickson, Bob Blixt, and Dan Brophy, DSD Avionics and Aerospace Engineering and Jim Rapinac. There were also many other contributors in other functional organizations.
Univac technical, management, and marketing personnel had CALAC contractor badges that allowed open access to CALAC buildings at the Burbank airport. Access to CALAC buildings was shown on our contractor badges.
The S-3A program became one of the most successful programs in U.S. Navy history. The program was completed on schedule, within target costs and was very, very profitable to both companies. Today, over 25 years after the initial contract award, S-3B aircraft, upgraded versions of the S-3A, are still fully operational.
In 1971, Jim Rapinac was named as General Manager, Sperry Univac, DSD, Salt Lake City, a division that supplied drone control systems and wide band data links. While in Salt Lake City, the business relationships with CALAC expanded to include the Skunk Works. We worked with Kelly Johnson and, later, his successors, Ben Rich and Sherm Mullen. The Salt Lake City group became a primary supplier of data links for the U2, SR-71 and other covert aircraft. Our long term management relationships with CALAC combined with a consistent record of or performance continued to pay dividends and was mutually beneficial and profitable to both companies.
The current Lockheed Martin facility in Eagan has a long, successful and storied history in the global defense and aerospace industry and has survived numerous corporate changes and names including Engineering Research Associates (ERA), Remington Rand Univac (RRU), Univac Defense Systems Division, Sperry Univac Defense Products Group, Unisys, PARAMAX, Loral, and finally, Lockheed Martin MS2.
Many current LM employees along with retired Univac DSD personnel, including me, owe our career successes, whatever they may be or have been, to the S-3A program and our association with CALAC. For some, it was their life’s work!
I know that I speak for all retirees of Sperry Univac Defense Systems Division when I say that nothing could be more appropriate or fitting than to have the name of Lockheed Martin on Plant 8 in Eagan, MN. [Jim Rapinac]
4. ABCCC
The Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC III), loaded in a capsule aboard an EC-130E aircraft, provided an automated airborne command and control capability featuring computer generated color displays and digitally controlled communications. It went into immediate, successful service in Operation Desert Storm. It is best described by the 'system engineer', Bob Chappelear's career summary. [lab]
From Larry Bolton - These are the pictures I took at the Eglin AFB Armament Museum back in February 2007. The entrance to the ABCCC display is shown as is a couple shots of what you see just inside the door to the right of the sign. The switches are covered by a plastic sheet so you can’t actually touch the switches. There is a larger room just in back of the photographer that has the shock mounted seats. I did not get pictures of that because I recall there was a sign prohibiting pictures. I think some of the pictures by the sign show parts of that area. That is what the ABCCC display is.
In addition to this, they had an LM JASSM missile, a JDAM bomb, a B-52, and an SR-71. They also have an A-bomb shell. Lots of other interesting items for people who have electronic and military backgrounds.
From Larry Debelak - Ah yes---this is ABCCC II that we replaced with the ABCCC III nomenclature---we got the Radios out of these capsules along with seven C130E A/C GFE but like the an old radiator cap story we replaced the sheet metal capsules with eight entirely new High Tech Capsules and fielded two of them just in time (5 months out of our Plant 5 factory for the 15 Jan start of the IRAQ war—two engineers flew combat mission and the 2 capsules logged 400 hours of attack operations without a failure. As the Turnkey-Prime-Contractor we made numerous upgrades (including the Intel ugrades that fixed the Scott O’Grady F16 Saga of eating grubs for over a week. These fixes were proven when saving the downed F117 Pilot in a few Hours. We supported the Airborne Command Element in the Bosnia and Kosovo operations out of Aviano Italy (the longest TDY in USAF History—7 Years) with the home base in Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson AZ.
ABCCC II was fielded in Viet Nam in the 1960’s to support communications for the long haul missions over North Vietnam. It was basically a set of 23 Radios, Crypto’s, the crossbar Comm Switch in your pictures with Grease Pencils and paper maps.
The ABCCC III description is http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/ec-130e-abccc.htm
By Larry Debelak - We toured the USAF Museum at WPAFB in Dayton a couple of weeks ago and I was able to talk to the folks that have one of the capsules. They told me that it was sitting on the Ramp outside the refurbishment facility next to the RB-47. As we did the behind the scenes tour we saw it but couldn’t take pictures because it is on the base proper. A WPAFB employee said that they were planning to send it to DMAFB for safer storage but still maintain ownership.
Apparently they don’t have funding or space to put it on display and the Museum has a Combat A/C Weapon, R&D and Presidential A/C focus so they don’t have any C&C displays (i.e. AWACS) and only up to the Viet Nam War/Cold war. Having said that they are planning a new very large hangar for expansion and hopefully will include the Gulf war, Bosnia/Kosovo (Longest TDY in USAF History-7 Years) Since there were no forces on the ground, ABCCC ran that war as the Airborne Command Element). As you recall when Scott O’Grady got shot down, UNISYS got funding for the ABCCC updates that were successfully employed to recover the F-117 pilot. This would make a compelling story of the impact that ABCCC had as well as the AFMC Acquisition award and DCMA award for the Gulf war.
5. Others
5.1 Lamps - This project put computers and systems aboard shipboard based helicopters for Anti-Submarine Warfare problems. {We need someone to write about this project/program.}
5.2 Drone Systems - See the Links page for a connection to the U of MN for control research.
VIP Page 62 updated 20 January, 2010