UAS Integration & Interoperability

Abstract

Project 3379: Common Control System (CCS) budget profile supports MQ-8 Fire Scout and follow-on Unmanned Systems (UxS) platforms. The primary mission of CCS is to provide common control across the Navy's UxSs portfolio to add scalable and adaptable warfighting capability, implement robust cybersecurity attributes, leverage existing government owned products, eliminate redundant software development efforts, consolidate product support, encourage innovation thru competition, improve cost control and enable rapid integration of UxS capabilities across Aviation, Surface, Sub-Surface, and Ground domains. CCS is a ship/shore/airborne/expeditionary based common control system that provides Vehicle Management (VM) and MM/MP capabilities for Naval Group 1 through 5 Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) as well as other domain UxSs. VM is the software that allows the operator to control the UxS. MM/MP is the software that allows the operator to create mission plans and control the UxS's sensors and payloads. CCS software is based on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Unmanned Control Segment (UCS) architecture which is a service oriented open architecture that is modular and scalable to meet evolving Service requirements and is also supportive of safety/airworthiness certification and cybersecurity certification. CCS is integrated with legacy UxS Platforms' defined hardware, processors and networks. The CCS requirements are documented in an approved and validated Information Systems Initial Capabilities Document (IS-ICD) and in approved Requirement Definition Packages (RDPs). CCS offers a low cost test and integration alternative for platform suitability determination across a broad spectrum of UxS capability. CCS is also developing affordable, scalable capabilities that are exportable to UxS platforms in the following areas: cyber security/ resiliency, interoperability solutions (across multiple architectures), multi-level security, executive control, autonomy and artificial intelligence/ machine learning. This program defines, develops, and delivers CCS capability that enables the flexibility for Ground Control Systems (GCS) that could be ship, shore, airborne, or expeditionary based to operate multiple and dissimilar Naval UxSs. CCS includes a common framework, user interface, and common components that will also be integrated and tested with legacy platform components. CCS is being developed with an open and modular business model with robust cybersecurity implementation and will be provided as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) to UxS contractors as required. The CCS acquisition approach provides increasing capability through incremental development for UxS platforms as follows: CCS will deliver a UAS baseline of VM and MM software built to the full SAE UCS standard to support emerging requirements. Increment I development activities completed in FY 2019. Increment II builds upon CCS Increment I software delivery, adding discrete common MM/MP capabilities as well as maturing VM capabilities. These MM/MP capabilities include route planning, sensor and payload control, and data processing and dissemination. CCS Increment II software will be hosted on legacy platform hardware. Increment II adds robust cybersecurity controls, key systems safety attributes and core program infrastructure, to include a system integration lab and software support activity (SSA), which provides software maintenance and support such as monthly cybersecurity patches and Correction of Deficiencies. Additional efforts include developing and executing plans for integration of common CCS VM services already developed under this program into other UxS cross-domain platforms' control stations to reduce department-level Total Ownership Costs for unmanned Ground Control Systems. The CCS Acquisition Strategy will be revised going forward in FY21 to align with the UxS Campaign Plan to focus on executive control, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning for UxS systems and continuing to reduce barriers to integration of Government owned software services. Starting in FY23, increased focus on Autonomy development. Autonomy development includes: collaboration with Industry and other Government agencies regarding technology maturation and transition; Capability Test, Evaluation, Validation, and Verification (TEVV); and Capability Monitoring & Sustainment. As part of autonomy development, the program will begin transition activities for the autonomy elements of the AVATAR Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) program, in coordination with other partner programs, with the ultimate goal of fielding an MUM-T capability. JUSTIFICATION FOR BUDGET ACTIVITY: This program is funded under OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT because it includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2023
Source ID
0305205N_7_1319_PB_2023
Change Summary Explanation
--- FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding.
Service Agency Name
Navy

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Cyber
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cognitive Systems Engineering
  • Control Systems
  • Cyberattacks
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Processing
  • Engineering
  • Government Furnished Equipment
  • Ground Control Stations
  • Information Systems
  • Software Development
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Systems

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
  • Autonomy
  • Cyber

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