Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Abstract

Project 114: Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) Shadow 200 provides the Army Brigade Commander with dedicated Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA), Intelligence, Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) and Force Protection. The Shadow provides the Brigade Commander with critical battlefield intelligence and targeting information in the rapid cycle time required for success at the tactical level. The TUAV Shadow system air vehicle meets the required operating range of 50 kilometers and remains on station for up to nine hours with the re-wing configuration. The TUAV Shadow system consists of four air vehicles (each configured with an Electro Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor payload), launcher, ground control and support equipment including: power generation, communications equipment, automated recovery equipment, one system remote video terminals, vehicle mounted shelters, and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles with trailer(s). Each system is equipped with one Maintenance Section Multifunctional (MSM) and is supported at the division level by a Mobile Maintenance Facility (MMF). Project 11A, The STARLite Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI) payload is a lightweight, high performance, all weather, multi-functional radar system for the Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The STARLite system provides wide area, near real time Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) capabilities. It operates throughout the UAS flight mission profile in adverse weather and through battlefield obscurants. The Common Sensor Payload (CSP), an Electro Optical Infra Red w/Laser Designator (EO/IR/LD) system, also for the Gray Eagle, provides a day/night capability to collect and display continuous imagery with the ability to designate targets of interest for attack by laser guided precision weapons. Additional initiatives will continue to focus on the transition of technologies directly supporting emerging requirements and the Army's Current and Future Force. This effort has been expanded to include High Definition (HD) and Target Location Accuracy (TLA) capability. Project 11B, The Tactical Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Payload (TSP) is a SIGINT sensor, currently under development for the Gray Eagle that detects radio frequency (RF) emitters. The TSP system will provide a SIGINT capability to the tactical commander. The TSP system will be a modular, scalable payload using an architecture that is software reconfigurable to allow for growth and flexibility as technology, and as the adversaries use of technology, changes. The TSP system improves situational awareness and shortens the targeting cycle by detecting and identifying emitters associated with high value targets (HVTs). The TSP system is capable of processing conventional signals, standard military signals, and modern signals of interest. Project 123: The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Joint Technology Center/Systems Integration Laboratory (JTC/SIL) is a Joint facility that develops, integrates, and supports the enhancement of its Multiple Unified Simulation Environment (MUSE) capability for Army systems and operational concepts. The JTC/SIL conducts prototype hardware and software development, builds the UAS Institutional Mission Simulator (IMS) trainers for the Shadow, Hunter, and ERMP programs, and provides modeling and simulation support. The MUSE is a real-time, operator in-the-loop simulation that may be integrated with larger simulations in support of Army and Joint training and exercises. The MUSE is also employed as a Mission Rehearsal Tool for ongoing combat operations. This project funds the management of the JTC/SIL and MUSE enhancements. Project D10: The Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) provides the battalion and below ground maneuver elements critical situational awareness and enhances force protection. The system provides the small unit commander an organic and responsive tactical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) capability through the ability to view real-time Full Motion Video (FMV) and sensor data via the system ground control station. Other compatible receivers, such as the One Station Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) and appropriately equipped manned platforms may also receive the SUAS products. A SUAS includes three aircraft that must be launched by hand or by some other means that does not require an improved launch/recovery location. In addition to the aircraft, the system contains ground support equipment, which includes an interoperable hand controller. This equipment is fully transportable in or on rucksack type packs that are organic to the unit. The SUAS RDT&E budget line includes funding for studies and incremental development/upgrade of current SUAS capabilities that will capitalize on new technology insertions based on identified user requirements. Past improvements include a Digital Data Link capability, introdu

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2013
• Source ID: 0305204A_7_2040_PB_2013
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Aircrafts
• Full Motion Video
• Ground Control Stations
• Ground Moving Target Indicators
• Iraqi-War
• Payload
• Program Management
• Radar
• Reliability
• Signals Intelligence
• Situational Awareness
• Surveillance
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Target Acquisition
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Readers

• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Directed Energy