Warrior Systems

Abstract

This Program Element (PE) provides for development, rapid prototyping, testing, and integration of specialized equipment in the areas of automation, communication, radio, weapon, soldier protection and survival, visual augmentation, lasers and sensors, munition and Military Information Support Operations (MISO) systems. Warrior Systems specialized equipment will permit small, highly trained forces to conduct required operations across the entire spectrum of conflict. Special Operation Forces (SOF) must infiltrate by land, sea, and air to conduct unconventional warfare, direct action, or deep reconnaissance operations in denied areas against insurgent units, terrorists, or highly sophisticated threat forces. The requirement to operate in denied areas controlled by a sophisticated threat mandates that SOF systems remain technologically superior to threat forces to ensure mission success. The efforts within this PE improve SOF warfighting capabilities by continuing efforts to develop smaller, lighter, more efficient and more robust capabilities. The SOF mission mandates that SOF systems remain technologically superior to any threat to provide a maximum degree of survivability while, generally, being conducted in harsh environments for unspecified periods and in locations requiring small unit autonomy. Communications efforts will maintain a Command, Control, and Communications (C3) link between SOF Commanders and SOF Teams, and provide interoperability with all Services, various agencies of the U.S. Government, Air Traffic Control, commercial agencies and allied foreign forces. Efforts relating to soldier protection and survival requirements will improve survivability and mobility of SOF while conducting varied missions. Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) efforts rely on cutting edge detection sensors, both passive and active, paired with kinetic and non-kinetic defeat systems to allow SOF Operators to conduct Special Forces missions in denied and hostile environments worldwide. Specialized visual augmentation, lasers and sensors will permit small, highly trained forces to conduct required operations across the entire spectrum of conflict. Munition efforts include advanced engineering operational system development and qualification efforts related to SOF-peculiar munitions and equipment. Maritime Precision Engagement Munition (MPE-M) and Ground Organic Precision Strike System (GOPSS) will develop a SOF organic strike mission package to surgically strike an agile and mobile enemy, protect own forces, and minimize collateral damage. Additionally, MISO efforts include planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately, the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups and individuals. These technologies will be pursued via rapid prototyping efforts when appropriate. FY 2020 funding totals include $5.802 million appropriated for Overseas Contingency Operations. FY 2021 funding totals include $5.796 million appropriated for Overseas Contingency Operations. FY 2022 funding totals include $78.592 million Base with $0.000 million Direct War and $5.195 million for Enduring costs in the Base Budget. MISO: This project provides for the development, test and integration of MISO equipment. MISO are planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately, the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. This project funds transformational systems and equipment to conduct the seven phase MISO process (planning, targeting audience analysis, series development, product development and design, approval, production/distribution/dissemination, and measures of effectiveness) in support of combatant commanders. Weapons Systems: This project provides for next generation system development and Pre-Planned Product Improvements (P3I), testing, and integration of specialized weapon systems and weapon accessories to meet the unique requirements of SOF. Efforts include muzzle brakes and suppressors, and P3I for assault, sniper, and crew served weapons leveraging the latest technological advances to achieve overmatch capability against emerging threats. Soldier Protection and Survival Systems: This project funds development, testing, integration, rapid prototyping and evaluation of specialized equipment to meet the unique soldier protection and survival requirements of SOF, to include, but not limited to, individual survival equipment, hearing protection, clothing systems, load bearing equipment, Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RC-IED) systems, Counter Unmanned Systems (aerial, ground and maritime), and personnel safety equipment to improve the mobility of SOF, while conducting varied missions. These missions are generally conducted in harsh and hostile environments, for unspecified periods and in locations requiring small unit autonomy. Body Armor and Associated Equipment: This project provides specialized equipment with ballistic protection to meet the unique soldier protection and survival requirements of SOF. Specialized ballistic equipment improves survivability and load bearing equipment impacting the mobility of SOF while conducting varied missions. This project enhances the SOF Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements program by providing for the research, development, and testing of body armor plates, soft armor, helmets, eye protection, and other personal protective equipment to meet current ballistic threats that exist on the battlefield. Visual Augmentation, Lasers and Sensor Systems: This project provides for development, testing, and integration of specialized visual augmentation, laser and sensor systems equipment to meet the unique requirements of SOF and facilitate future Hyper-Enabled Operator capabilities. Programs in this area include binocular/monocular devices; next generation laser designation and geo-location systems; weapon aiming lasers, scopes and accessories; and training and simulation systems. Communications Equipment and Electronics Systems: This project provides for communication systems to meet emergent requirements to support SOF. SOF units require communications equipment that improves their warfighting capability without degrading their mobility. SOF Communications Equipment and Electronics is a continuing effort to develop smaller, lighter, more efficient and more robust SOF Command, Control, Communications, and Computer (C4) capabilities. Tactical Systems Development: This project provides for development, testing, and integration of specialized automation equipment to meet the unique requirements of SOF. Tactical systems provide forward deployed forces with advanced networking, automated data processing, storage, and display capabilities to support situational awareness, mission planning and execution, and Command and Control (C2) of forces. Digital Ecosystem provides SOF forces improved situational awareness of the battlespace by leveraging publicly available information. Tactical Radio Systems: This project is for the development of all SOF tactical radio programs. SOF units require radio communication equipment that improves their warfighting capability without degrading their mobility. United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has developed an overall strategy to ensure that Tactical Radio Systems continue to provide SOF with the required capabilities throughout the 21st century. SOF Tactical Radios provide the critical C3 link between SOF Commanders and SOF Teams involved in operational missions and training exercises. They also provide interoperability with all Services, various agencies of the U.S. Government, Air Traffic Control, commercial agencies, and allied/coalition forces. Tactical Radios rapidly and seamlessly establish and maintain mobile and fixed C2 communications between infiltrated/operational elements and higher echelon headquarters, allowing SOF to operate with any force combination in multiple environments. Munitions Advanced Development: This project provides for the advanced engineering, operational system development, and qualification efforts related to SOF-peculiar and Foreign/Non-standard munitions and equipment. Funding supports development of Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology and evaluation, in accordance with statutory requirement set forth in U.S. Code, Title 10, Chapter 141, Section 2389 (December 2001). Testing is in accordance with the USSOCOM IM Strategic Plan. Funding also supports efforts to develop and improve MPE-M, GOPSS, and Stand-Off Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM), including the development and integration of various technologies to enhance/modernize the SOPGMs delivered on to SOF and non-SOF platforms. When appropriate, these technologies will be pursued via rapid prototyping to develop, demonstrate and evaluate residual operational capabilities.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 1160431BB_7_0400_PB_2022
• Change Summary Explanation: Funding: FY 2020: Net decrease of $4.886 million is due to the transfer of funds to Small Business Innovative Research/Small Business Technology Research Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs ($2.691 million) and funding was made available to support emerging Command requirements in the year of execution ($2.195 million). FY 2021: Net decrease of $1.212 million is due to a Congressionally directed reduction in MMP ($1.178 million) and a Defense-Wide Congressionally directed reduction in Media Production Center ($0.034 million). FY 2022: Net increase of $23.083 million is due to an increase for MPE-M/GOPSS design configuration development, testing and evaluation, improvement, and subsequent Critical Design Review milestone activity ($12.546 million), Digital Ecosystem (DE) expansion of data sources, analysis tool/application development, and managed attribution architecture development ($3.263 million), initiating Visual Augmentation Systems (VAS) Joint Acquisition Task Force/Hyper Enabled Operator (JATF/HEO) transition of an integrated head-mounted sensor and AR display providing threat detection ($2.912 million), continue SOPGM integration/development efforts ($0.719 million), initiating on-operator power and data management efforts within the SOF Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) program ($1.670 million), Munitions Advanced Development new Maritime Disablement Operations (MDO) requirement and complimentary efforts ($0.976 million), addressing Blue Force Tracking (BFT) capability enhancements outlined in the latest Capability Development Document version ($0.500 million), and initiating Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) new USSOCOM Brain Health RDT&E line. This new effort is in support of the blast overpressure event capture with longitudinal tracking of SOF end users' neurocognitive health to support treatment and recovery ($0.497 million). Schedule: None. Technical: None.
• Service Agency Name: United States Special Operations Command

Entities

Organizations

• United States Special Operations Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Autonomy
• Biomedical
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Combat Casualty Care
• Command And Control
• Contingency Operations (Military)
• Electronic Countermeasures
• Explosive Devices
• Materials Testing
• Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
• Munitions
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Protective Equipment
• Radio Communications
• Radio Equipment
• Software Defined Radio
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Systems
• Warfare

Readers

• Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Directed Energy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics