Airborne Mine Countermeasures

Abstract

The Assault Breaching System (ABS) program provides a combination of U.S. Navy systems to counter the threat to amphibious forces from obstacles and anti-landing/sea mines in the Beach Zone and Surf Zone (0-10 ft water). The Assault Breaching Systems (ABS) consist of a system of systems approach that includes the following programs: Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Assault Breaching System (JABS); Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA); Precision Navigation and Marking System (PNMS); Command, Control, Computers, Communications, and Intelligence (C4I). The Assault Breaching Systems enable the Navy-Marine Corps team to conduct Joint Forcible Entry Operations (JFEO), Ship-To-Objective Maneuver (STOM), and other combat operations to project power ashore. JABS is a fielded system that neutralizes surface mines and obstacles in the Beach Zone (BZ) and Surf Zone (SZ). The ABS Tactical Decision Aid optimizes the Desired Points of Impact (DPI) for JDAM munitions to effectively neutralize mines and obstacles while minimizing the required number of munitions and friendly aircraft sorties. Continued testing is required to optimize the ABS Tactical Decision Aid database for the most common enemy mines and obstacles. COBRA conducts Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR/T). This system, which consists of two COBRA Airborne Payloads (CAPS) and one Post Mission Analysis (PMA) station, provides Coastal Mine Reconnaissance (CMR) capability. Block I is a multispectral sensor capable of daytime detection of surface-laid minefields and obstacles in the Beach Zone (BZ) and has on-board real-time processing. Block II capability adds an active illuminator sensor that enables nighttime detection of mines and obstacles in the BZ and the Surf Zone (SZ) (0-10 ft of water). COBRA consists of a modular payload architecture that is integrated onto the MQ-8 Fire Scout, other vessels of opportunity, and in it's expeditionary configuration, from the shore. COBRA will serve in the CMR mission module for the SZ and BZ in the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mission Package. PNMS provides navigational upgrades for the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC); Landing Craft, Utility (LCU); and Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV). A system of virtual lane marking improves the navigation ability of these three assault craft which enables them to navigate safely through the neutralized assault lanes provided by JABS. OPN funds the CRAFTALTS to upgrade the navigation systems. LCU Navigation Upgrade provides modernized navigation system to enable safe transit through the breach lane. LCAC autopilot upgrade provides an integrated improvement to the LCAC Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) navigation system for craft control to allow precise navigation and hovering within the breach lane. These software upgrades and backfits occur during scheduled LCAC SLEPs. AAV Navigation Upgrade provides modernized navigation system to enable precise transit through the breach lane. C4I system will tie all of the above systems together under an integrated ABS architecture that is compatible with the existing Mine Warfare architecture.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: 0604126N_4_1319_PB_2021
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2019: -$573K SBIR FY 2020: +$3.0M Program Increase - COBRA FY 2021: -$1.7M underexecution reduction; +$165K rate adjustment
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Amphibious Operations
• Combat Operations
• Contracts
• Data Fusion
• Detection
• Engineering
• Landing Craft
• Littoral Combat Ships
• Marine Corps
• Naval Mines
• Satellite Guided Weapons
• System Of Systems
• Systems Engineering
• Tactical Decision Aids
• Test And Evaluation
• Warfare

Readers

• Marine Ecological Systems Migration
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.