RQ-4 UAV

Abstract

This program element funds five (5) related Air Force projects sharing the RQ-4 platform in common: the RQ-4 Block 30, the RQ-4 Block 40, the RQ-4 Ground Segment/Communication System, RQ-4 Capability Enhancements, and Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) in FY17 and forward. Global Hawk: The RQ-4 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) provides a high altitude, deep look, long-endurance Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability that complements space and other airborne collectors during peacetime, crisis, and war-fighting scenarios. This funding supports the development of RQ-4 aircraft, payloads, ground and support segments. The Block 20/30/40 RQ-4B RPA is the successor to the Block 10 RQ-4A, and is designed to employ 3,000 pounds of payload and enable Multi-Intelligence (multi-INT) collecting. Block 30 (Project 675145) employs upgraded Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensors known as the Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS), the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) sensor, and is being upgraded with a modular ISR payload adapter to accommodate Next Gen Sensors. Activities include mission planning development and testing, Mode 5 Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), enhanced weather capability development and testing, ice protection system development and testing, airspace and interoperability and communication enhancements and updates, airframe upgrades, sensor upgrades and integration of alternate sensors, risk reduction and integration, periodic Operation Flight Program updates and releases, and resolution of issues with Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS). This will include systems engineering/program management, configuration and data management, test and evaluation, management services, Deficiency Report/Materiel Improvement Project (DR/MIP) Investigations, studies and analysis and fielding support for Projects 675146 (Block 40), 675147 (Ground Segment/Comm System), and 675149 (Capability Enhancements). The Block 40 (Project 675146) employs the MP-RTIP (Project 67RTIP) radar sensor. In FY15 and beyond, this includes the Block 40 costs for the development of enhanced weather capability development and testing, additional sensor modes, mission planning development and testing, airspace integration activities including Mode 5 Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), airspace and interoperability and communication enhancements and updates, airframe and sensor enhancements to the Block 40 fleet. Activities also include studies and analysis, providing support to future system enhancements, communication and interoperability enhancements, periodic Operational Flight Program updates and releases, current and future program planning, and project execution. The Ground Segment/Communication System (Project 675147) includes the Ground Segment Modernization Program (GSMP), Communication System Modernization Program (CSMP), and the Next Generation Communication System. The ground segment currently includes the Mission Control Element (MCE), the Launch and Recovery Element (LRE), and the networking resources required to simultaneously disseminate intelligence while remaining compliant with Department of Defense (DoD) cybersecurity network requirements to operate on the Global Information Grid. As a result of the reinstatement of the Block 30s in the FY15 PB, the requirement for ground stations operations significantly increased which increased the need for efforts to address DMS issues. The GSMP supports a 20 year operational lifecycle, and comprises an approach that enhances capability and combines the functionality of legacy MCEs and LREs into a single building-based configuration. It will also enhance interoperability data dissemination and provide a robust training capability. The CSMP will provide enhancements across the RQ-4 communication network. RQ-4 Capability Enhancements (Project 675149) begins in FY17 and is intended to provide greater visibility into Global Hawk modernizations by consolidating the majority of the efforts from Project 675145 (Block 30), Project 675146 (Block 40), and Project 675147 (Ground Segment/Comm System) consistent with the approved acquisition strategy. Activities include airspace and interoperability and communication enhancements and updates, airframe upgrades, sensor upgrades and integration of alternate sensors, risk reduction and integration, ice protection system development and testing, program protection projects, cybersecurity, government furnished equipment repair, legacy data items (technical data packages), resolution of issues with DMS, periodic Operation Flight Program updates and releases, and additional sensor modes. This will include systems engineering/program management, configuration and data management, test and evaluation, management services, DR/MIP Investigations, studies and analysis and fielding support for Projects 675145 (Block 30), 675146 (Block 40), and 675147 (Ground Segment/Comm System). Activities also include the GSMP, CSMP and the Next Generation Communication System. The RQ-4 program will maintain and upgrade interoperability for Blocks 20/30/40 with system of systems partners and continue to incorporate applicable synergies with other platforms such as the U.S. Navy's Triton, other RPA weapon systems, and Transport, Processing, Exploitation & Dissemination (T-PED) elements. The networking capability for intelligence dissemination is required to provide the data transport interface between the Weapons System, Operations Centers, and external Intelligence Community customers. When judged feasible and affordable, this program will participate in the development, testing, and implementation of international standards to enhance joint, allied, and coalition interoperability. Studies and activities may be initiated to further explore the utility of incorporating the emerging architectural standards such as the USAF Unmanned Aeriel System (UAS) Command and Control Initiative (UCI) or the DoD's Unmanned Control Segment standards (UCS) and Open Mission Systems (OMS). GSMP and CSMP will incorporate UCI and UCS standards. Common-Airborne Sense and Avoid (C-ABSAA): In FY 2016, PE 0305220F, RQ-4, Project 675148, Common-Airborne Sense and Avoid (C-ABSAA), efforts transferred to PE 0305206F, Airborne Reconnaissance Systems, Project 675148 in order to provide greater visibility into this capability and prepares for expanded applications by making the capability program and platform agnostic. C-ABSAA is an analysis and developmental effort in the pre-Material Development Decision phase of the acquisition lifecycle which supports emerging warfighter requirements to fully integrate Group 4-5 RPA into the National Airspace System (NAS), international airspace, other nations' sovereign airspace, and operational combat airspace to conduct the entire range of military operations across all mission environments. C-ABSAA also supports the "Worldwide Operations" Key Performance Parameter (KPP) in larger RPA requirement documents, and Public Law 112-239 directing DoD collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Air and Space Administration (NASA) to safely integrate RPA in the NAS. Funding in this project supports the development of a Sense and Avoid (SAA) capability set for Group 4-5 RPA and covers analysis, research, and developmental activities as well as infrastructure and other government costs. Activities included support to the development of warfighter requirements and analysis of possible solution alternatives, the collaboration with the FAA, NASA, and the other Services to develop national policy and standards, and SAA related studies, analysis, modeling and simulation, program planning and project execution. RPA platform specific integration and testing is not included. MP-RTIP: The MP-RTIP sensor was designed as a family of modular, scalable sensors to provide next generation capabilities to support sustainable network centric operations with integrated Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) capability. MP-RTIP provides the RQ-4 Block 40 aircraft with advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Moving Target Indicator (MTI) sensor capabilities. This project (67RTIP) includes all MP-RTIP design, development, test, and integration efforts for the RQ-4 Block 40 platform. Integration activities include platform integration of the MP-RTIP sensor and sustainment logistics planning support. MP-RTIP studies and development insertion include the implementation of Maritime Modes (MM) and other radar modes, electronic protection, product improvements and other advanced capabilities. Activities also include studies and analysis supporting current and future program planning and future modes development based on user requirements. Per direction of USD(AT&L), the RQ-4 program was restructured from the original project 675144 (Baseline) into multiple projects: (1) Block 30, (2) Block 40, (3) GroundSegment/Communications System, and (4) C-ABSAA. Prior year funds in the amount of $2031.377M were accounted for in project 675144. The Cost to Complete and Total Cost for Major Defense Acquistion Program (MDAP) projects in this program element are documented in the R3. Total Cost on the R2 is not reflective of the total cost for MDAP projects since the R2 does not account for prior years funding for in project 675144. The FY 2017 funding request was reduced by $33.19 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development, because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
• Source ID: 0305220F_7_3600_PB_2017
• Change Summary Explanation: FY16 $20.0M decrease: Delays in Global Hawk program FY17 $33.2M decrease: Reduction to account for the availability of prior year execution balances
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy
• Cyber
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Aircrafts
• Command And Control
• Communication Networks
• Communication Systems
• Department Of Defense
• Global Information Grid
• Government Furnished Equipment
• Logistics Planning
• Military Operations
• Radar
• Sense And Avoid Systems
• Signals Intelligence
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Cyber
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics
• Space