RQ-21 Payload Development
Abstract
The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Payload Program will provide an agile and responsive means to integrate and support the development and fielding of Strategic and Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and non-ISR capabilities as well as data Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) and Communication capabilities for all UAS's within the Navy and Marine Corps. These component, sensor, and PED capabilities will address Navy and Marine Corps ISR mission needs and gaps caused by rapidly changing missions, environments, threats, and technologies as well as enhance the effectiveness and operational utility of the UAS. The UAS Payload program element will increase the effectiveness and versatility of the Navy and Marine Corps UAS. The UAS Payload program element encompasses current and future emerging UAS technology and improvements such as GPS denied environment survey and solutions, Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT), Communication, Automation and Autonomy, Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD), Chemical, Biological, and Radiological/Nuclear (CBRN) collection, Gravitational Sensing, Signals Intelligence Collection (SIGINT), Electronic Warfare Support (EW and ES), Radar Imagery, Moving Target Indicator (MTI) Detection, Tracking and Imagery, Wide Area Imaging and Search, Advanced Electro-Optic to include Multi and Hyperspectral Imagery collection, Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing, Combined Multiple Intelligence (Multi-INT), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Laser Marking and Designation (LM, LD), Acoustic Detection, Sense and Avoid, Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF), Weapons Integration, capability related PED, and Multi Mission functionality. These advanced capabilities and payloads will provide the Navy Fleet Forces and Marine Corps and their component subordinate commands (divisions and regiments) with dedicated, organic capabilities that facilitate the Marine Corps ISR Enterprise (MCISRE) across the range of military operations. The program develops and transitions strategic and tactical sensor and PED capabilities to UAS in the areas of SIGINT and Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator (SAR/MTI) and continuing the integration and prototype mission kit development work in the area of Multiple Intelligence (Multi-INT) and Wide Area Surveillance (WAS) capabilities. SIGINT - Locate, target, and exploit adversary Signals of Interest (SOI), ability to cue other ISR sensors to specific target geolocations. Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator (SAR/MTI) - Locate and track ground targets day or night under a wide range of atmospheric conditions and at stand-off ranges exceeding those of EO/IR Full Motion Video (FMV) technologies. Multiple Intelligence (Multi-INT) - Simultaneous area of regard ISR data collection and functionality of sensors operating in widely disparate modalities such as Communications Relay, EW/ES, SIGINT, Radar, and EO/IR. Enables the collection of synchronized data that maximizes the effective employment envelope by collectively decreasing uncertainties, such as geolocation accuracy, simultaneously prosecuting multiple targets of interest and maximizing datalink capability across a varied range of environments and temporal periods. Wide Area Persistent Surveillance (WAS) - Imaging over wide areas (multiple square kilometers, city size area) at very spacial and temporal resolution at substantial stand-off distances with full motion video (FMV) access, picture in picture user defined watch boxes, and ability to cue other ISR sensors to specific target geolocations. Ability to monitor and disseminate processed imagery data and static full field of view or user defined FMV watch box imagery and disseminate to ground-based disadvantaged users. Mission applications include battlefield situational awareness and monitoring, providing the capability to assure access and hold at risk, as well as enabling power projection in environments that are not currently accessible. Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) technologies enable minimization of the physical footprint of the UAS system with enhanced mission capabilities and the sharing and merging of data across multiple domains. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Processing supports the rapid detection, tracking, and characterization in all ISR data types and provides actionable information for fusion and tracking exploitation systems and processes. Note: In FY 2019, PE 0305242M/PU 5501, 5502, and 5504 were consolidated to PE 0305242M/PU 2052 (Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads/RQ-21 Payload Development). In FY 2021, PE 0305242M/PU 2052 (Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads/RQ-21 Payload Development) transitioned to 0305242M/PU 8277 (Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Payloads/UAS Payloads).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 2052_0305242M_7_1319_PB_2022
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