Submunitions

The Project Chicken Little (PCL) initiative is a crucial part of the Air Force's strategy to enhance rapid reaction signature exploitation capabilities for both traditional and asymmetrical battlefields. This program focuses on advancing smart munitions, seekers, sensors, and their platforms by providing essential research, development, test, and evaluation expertise. PCL aims to address networked weapons and emerging weapon concepts while developing innovative targeting technologies for various vehicle targets and theater air defense units.

PCL's objectives include collecting physical, functional, and signature attributes of foreign threat systems to support high-fidelity modeling for detection, classification, vulnerability assessment, and weapon system design. The program utilizes ground, air, and space-based sensors to gather high-resolution signature data from foreign targets under various conditions. This data supports munitions and targeting development programs by providing realistic information that helps mitigate acquisition risks.

A significant aspect of PCL is its role as a focal point for joint signature exploitation within the Department of Defense (DoD). It contributes to the rapid assessment of U.S. and allied weapon performance against high-value targets. The program serves multiple customers, including Defense and Service Intelligence Centers, Combatant Commands, and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.

Current projects under PCL involve target signature exploitation, geometric modeling for vulnerability identification, improving air capabilities against protected structures, and testing multiple seekers and sensors in representative environments. The Joint Smart Munitions Test and Evaluation project conducts activities such as captive carry flight tests and signature collection for seeker/sensor technology evaluations. It also develops improved models for target vulnerability and weapons effectiveness in support of Combatant Commands' requirements.

The program includes events like Sensor Week and Acoustic Week to demonstrate developmental technologies against diverse targets. These efforts are executed by the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base to ensure that threat assets remain representative for systems development and testing.