(U)Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads

Abstract

The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads integration program will alleviate Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability gaps caused by rapidly changing missions, threats and technologies. It will provide responsive capability to integrate and support rapid fielding of ISR payloads for all UAS within the Marine Corps. Sensor payloads will increase the effectiveness and versatility of the Marine Corps UAS currently planned to have the Electro-Optic(EO) / Infrared (IR) collection, communications relay, and automatic identification capabilities. Upgrades include, but are not limited to, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)/ Electronic Warfare Support (ES), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) / Motion Target Indicator (MTI), Wide Area and Hyperspectral Imagery collection. These payloads provide the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) organic capabilities that facilitate the six functions of Marine Corps Aviation and the Marine Corps Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Enterprise across the range of military operations. The payload development process will follow a Hybrid Acquisition Model of Incremental/Spiral approach while leveraging upon work conducted by various government laboratories such as the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Agency (JIDA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the National Geospatial Agency (NGA). Both SIGINT and SAR payloads will follow similar acquisition paths but on independent time schedules. These acquisition paths will be defined by three (3) phases and each marked by a decision gate. Phase I establishes the preliminary integration design concept and conduct of technology demonstration with validation of a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5/6 as the decision gate for Phase II. Phase II establishes full payload-to-Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) integration during which time all necessary program management, engineering, fabrication, test, and evaluations activities are conducted to achieve Test Article Fabrication, System Test and Evaluation, Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) and Training Concept development, and Data Management and Documentation. Validation of funding, derived requirements, project risks, cost and schedule estimates, contracting strategy and achievement of TRL 7 or higher constitute the decision gate for Phase III. Phase III is program of record transition which supports a production decision based on the exit criteria from Phase II.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
• Source ID: 0305242M_7_1319_PB_2017
• Change Summary Explanation: The funding increase of $1.935M from FY16 to FY17 supports development and integration of payloads such as Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)/ Electronic Warfare Support (ES), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)/ Motion Target Indicator (MTI) in support of the Marine Corps UAS.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Aerial Warfare
• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Cost Analysis
• Electronic Warfare
• Military Operations
• Military Research
• Product Development
• Signals Intelligence
• Software Development
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Warfare

Readers

• Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
• Nuclear Civil Defense.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Microelectronics