(U) Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA)
Abstract
The MQ-25 program rapidly develops an unmanned capability to embark on Carrier Vessel, Nuclear (CVN) as part of the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) to conduct aerial refueling as a primary mission and provide Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) capability as a secondary mission. MQ-25 extends CVW mission effectiveness range, partially mitigates the current Carrier Strike Group (CSG) organic ISR shortfall and fills the future CVW-tanker gap, mitigating Strike Fighter shortfall and preserving F/A-18E/F Fatigue Life for its primary missions. As the first carrier-based, group 5 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), MQ-25 will pioneer the integration of manned and unmanned operations, demonstrate mature complex sea-based Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) UAS technologies, and pave the way for future multifaceted multi-mission UAS to pace emerging threats. MQ-25 requirements are aligned with the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems (FoS) ICD, which highlight the need for carrier-based refueling and persistent ISR capabilities. The Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) endorsed the UCLASS ICD in April 2011 and formally approved it on 9 Jun 11 via Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memorandum (JROCM) 087-11. The NGAD FoS ICD was validated by the JROC on 18 August 2015 and formally approved by JROCM 087-15. The JROC's guidance delineated in the validated ICDs and subsequent JROCMs was to establish a requirement for a versatile platform that supports a myriad of organic Naval missions such as aerial refueling and ISR to support the CVW. The JROC validated the Capability Development Document for MQ-25 Carrier Based Unmanned Air System on 21 July 2017. After contract award in 2018, an opportunity to accelerate Initial Operational Capability (IOC) to 2024 was recognized, and the Navy decided to make the investments required to capture that opportunity by increasing the number of test carrier installs to four and funding System Demonstration Test Article (SDTA) production to start in FY20. The Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Mission Control System (UMCS) program consists of the MQ-25 control station, designated the MD-5, and modifications to the C4I systems and CVN infrastructure required for MQ-25 vehicle and mission control. This program is funded under SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION because it includes projects that have passed Milestone B approval and are conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full-rate production decision.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Source ID
- 0605414N_5_1319_PB_2020
- Change Summary Explanation
- The FY 2020 funding request was reduced by $26.320 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. The FY 2020 funding request was reduced due to MQ-25 contract savings. Technical: Increase in test carriers from two to four in order to ensure sufficient underway testing to achieve the accelerated Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the MQ-25 in FY24. Schedule: IOC accelerated to 2024.
- Service Agency Name
- Navy
Entities
Organizations
- United States Navy
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