Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle (LUSV)

Abstract

As part of the Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Family of Systems (FoS), the Large USV (LUSV) project provides resources for the detailed design, fabrication, testing and support of the LUSV. LUSV is defined as having a reconfigurable, multi-mission capability which is accomplished via an organic warfare capability and may be augmented with additional modular payloads. The LUSV organic warfare capability will be procured under the Unmanned Surface Vessel Enabling Capabilities project unit and is intended to utilize existing payloads including Navy launchers and sensors. Modular payloads may be developed separately by other programs or prototyping efforts and will be further developed and/or integrated into LUSV under the Enabling Capabilities project unit that supports MUSV and LUSV. LUSVs are assumed to be greater than 50m in length in order to deliver the organic payload capability and endurance required. LUSVs will be based on commercial designs with organic capability added to provide additional Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Strike capacity to the surface fleet. LUSVs will provide relatively low cost, high endurance, reconfigurable ships able to accommodate various payloads for unmanned missions to augment the Navy's manned surface force. LUSVs will be long endurance vessels with large payload capacity, designed to conduct a variety of warfare operations independently or in conjunction with manned surface combatants. LUSVs will be capable of semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operation, with operators in-the-loop or on-the-loop. USV Command and Control (C2) will be maintained via the afloat element (i.e., embarked on a United States Navy (USN) combatant/support ship), or via the ashore element (C2 station ashore). LUSV C2, combat and/or weapon system integration will employ tamper proofing and security controls to prevent disclosure of data and electronic warfare defenses during autonomous operation. LUSVs will employ a Risk Management Framework (RMF) approach with physical, technical and administrative security controls. LUSVs will have hardware and software components to protect classified/sensitive functions, countermeasures designed to thwart adversary exploitation, classified data sanitation requirements, anti-tamper mechanisms to prevent disclosure of data and autonomous zeroization, and electronic warfare defenses. LUSVs will be capable of weeks-long deployments and trans-oceanic transits and operate aggregated with Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) and Surface Action Groups (SAGs), as well as have the ability to deploy independently. LUSV will leverage efforts external to this project unit accomplished through the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) Ghost Fleet - Overlord project investments in FY 2018 (continuing through FY 2021). Overlord converts existing commercial fast supply vessels into experimentation LUSVs, with the end goal to demonstrate relevant Navy Surface Warfare missions utilizing modular prototype payloads. The Overlord systems will also advance the technology needed for autonomous operation of pier-launched vessels as well as increase the reliability and redundancy required to support an unmanned Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) system. The Overlord systems will be able to travel thousands of miles between port visits, as well as operate for weeks at a time. The Overlord program will procure 2 experimentation LUSVs (based on existing fast supply vessels) in FY 2019 and will develop fleet-ready C2 elements that will be directly incorporated into MUSV and LUSV. The Navy is able to rapidly initiate the LUSV program in FY 2020 as a direct result of transitioning the OSD SCO Ghost Fleet Overlord technology. In addition to the two experimentation LUSVs procured in FY 2019 by the Ghost Fleet Program, the Navy will procure two FY 2020 experimentation LUSVs of the same configuration (from the same vendors on the same contracts) as the Ghost Fleet Overlord systems and modular payloads will be procured to fully populate the 4 Overlord (2 SCO funded in FY 2019 and 2 Navy funded in FY 2020) experimentation LUSVs. While the Overlord configuration rapidly delivers an initial LUSV capability, it does not provide the integrated and organic capability or capacity intended for the LUSV program. The Navy intends to begin procuring LUSVs at a rate of 2 per year starting in FY 2021. Design contracts will be competitively awarded in FY 2020 to develop an LUSV with an integrated (GFE) launcher system and capacity for additional modular payloads. LUSVs of this configuration will be procured starting in FY 2021 with competitive detail design and construction contract(s). Payloads will be procured separately. Future missions for LUSV will be informed by the Navy's Future Surface Combatant Force (FSCF) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) and as future payloads and concept of operations (CONOPs) are developed. LUSV is a key enabler of the Navy's Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept, which includes being able to forward deploy (alone or in teams/swarms), team with individual manned combatants or augment battle groups with an LUSV distributed Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Strike capacity. Fielding of LUSV will provide the Navy increased capability and necessary capacity at lower projected procurement and sustainment costs, reduced risk to sailors and increased readiness by offloading missions from manned combatants.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2020
• Source ID: 3066_0603502N_4_1319_PB_2020

Tags

Readers

• Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

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