Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS)

Abstract

The Future Unmanned Aircraft System (FUAS) is a critical system in the cross-domain capabilities concept that will employ MDO capabilities at all echelons and allow ground based forces to project power from land into other domains to defeat highly capable enemies, secure terrain, and consolidate gains. FUAS encompasses an array of capabilities from platoon soldiers to Division Commanders. The Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) approved the FUAS Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) on 6 Mar 2019. The FUAS ICD includes requirements for Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS), Air Launched Effects (ALE), and Scalable Control Interface (SCI). Current FTUAS efforts are based on requirements from AROC approved Abbreviated Capability Development Document (A-CDD) signed 12 August 2021. Manned, optionally-manned, and unmanned systems will penetrate defense-in-depth environments by employing ALE with teaming and swarming effects to detect, decoy, jam radar and communications, conduct cyber-attack, spoof and jam Global Positioning System (GPS), and kinetic engagement. The Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team (FVL CFT) FUAS line of effort is comprised of multiple components including the FTUAS for the Brigade Combat Team (BCT), and ALE. The FTUAS seeks to replace the RQ-7Bv2 Shadow assets within the BCTs. Key attributes of the FTUAS BCT focus on Rapid Deployability, Expeditionary Maneuver, and Mobility for adaptive and agile operations. FTUAS will consist of an aircraft subsystem that will include the airframe, propulsion, avionics, communications, navigation, and software systems; aircraft-specific ground support equipment including power generation, transportation, or command and control equipment; aircraft software; and required engineering, logistics, programmatic support. ALE extends tactical and operational reach, lethality, and protection to the advanced team as an attritable or optionally recoverable aerial capability that detects, identifies, locates, and reports threats; represents a credible decoy; disrupts threat communication, targeting and acquisition systems; and delivers lethal and non-lethal effects against those threats across cross-domain capabilities. Current ALE efforts are based on requirements from AROC approved A-CDD signed 28 May 2020. Justification: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 FUAS Research Development Technology & Evaluation (RDT&E) Base funding of $53.143 million will be utilized for the following: 1)$19.439 million to support ALE Systems Integration activities to include test and evaluation activities to support a rapid fielding decision 2)$5.528 million provides SEPM to support ALE 3)$10.808 million to support FTUAS component development and competitive prototyping and integration efforts, 4)$14.550 million provides Test and Evaluation to support FTUAS 5)$2.818 million provides SEPM to support FTUAS The total cost of the ALE Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $75 million RDT&E from FY22 to FY24. The ALE is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program. FTUAS Inc 2: The total cost of the FTUAS Inc 2 Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $125 million RDT&E from FY22 to FY25. The FTUAS Inc 2 is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
• Source ID: 0604113A_4_2040_PB_2024
• Change Summary Explanation: FY24 funding in the amount of $12.799 million moved from ACFT/A00510/A00511 Air Launched Effects to PE 0604113A/ Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FTUAS) Project EX8/ Future Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FUAS) RDTE line to be used on the Air Launched Effects effort.
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Launched
• Aircraft Equipment
• Aircrafts
• Airframes
• Command And Control
• Global Positioning Systems
• Ground Support Equipment
• Navigation
• Procurement
• Program Management
• Software Prototyping
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Unmanned Systems

Readers

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

Technology Areas

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