Zephyr
Abstract
The Joint Requirements Oversight Council validated Zephyr JCTD as an FY 2008 start. The resulting capabilities from the development, integration, and demonstration of an operationally capable prototype for this Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) are primarily a Solar Powered High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) autonomous platform, which can carry many different payloads, which includes a communications relay node. The Zephyr is a fixed wing, solar powered, unmanned aircraft that is capable of autonomous operations and provides global, high-precision station keeping and payload integration capability for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) to meet today's Persistent Surveillance needs. This JCTD leverages United Kingdom (U.K.) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) funding to provide the Warfighter with extended tactical communications over a large geographic area. Improved communications in high-risk environments gives forces increased effectiveness in rapid decisive operations. Additional payloads will be integrated and tested in FY 2009. These will include wideband data network nodes and SIGINT payloads. In FY 2010, Electro-Optics/Infrared (EO/IR) payloads will be flown on the U.K. assets to evaluate military utility. At the end of the demonstration phase Zephyr executed Limited Utility Experiment 2. Completed flight evaluation of SINGCARS communications relay package.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- 1311e390b55331d3cdc66f7ab5fda172