Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV)
Abstract
The Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) project provides resources for the detailed design, construction, testing, fleet introduction, and support of the LUSV. LUSVs will provide affordable, high endurance, ships able to accommodate various payloads augmenting the Navy's manned surface force in supporting the Future Surface Combatant Force (FSCF) program and Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept. The platforms will be capable of weeks-long deployments and trans-oceanic transits and operate aggregated with Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs), Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs), Surface Action Groups (SAGs), and individual manned combatants. The LUSV will be delivered and fielded initially as research and development prototype vessels intended to demonstrate successful integration of government furnished Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) and combat systems and the reliability of automated hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) systems. In FY 2020, the Navy intends to procure Overlord prototypes capable of employing modular payloads but also integrating the organic capability needed for the LUSV program. These vessels will also continue to build on the lessons learned through the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) Ghost Fleet - Overlord project. Future LUSVs will incorporate reservations in the design for future combat capabilities as a step toward the desired goal of delivering a LUSV in FY 2026 with an integrated combat system and organic payloads supporting Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Strike mission areas. Other potential future LUSV capabilities are being informed by the Navy's FSCF Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) and will be refined as future payloads and concepts of operations (CONOPs) are developed. 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 assuming missions from manned combatants. LUSVs will be based on commercial specifications and greater than 190ft in length in order to provide a long-endurance platform with sufficient margin in the design to support the incorporation of combat systems and future payloads. LUSVs will be capable of autonomous navigation, transit planning, and COLREGS-compliant maneuvering and will be designed with automated propulsion, electrical generation, and support systems. LUSV missions will be conducted with operators in-the-loop (with continuous or near-continuous observation or control) or on-the-loop (autonomous operation that prompts operator action/intervention from sensory input or autonomous behaviors). The LUSV integrated combat system will be developed under the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Enabling Capabilities (Project 3067). 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 that supports both the LUSV and MUSV projects. Key combat systems and payload technologies and enablers will continue to be developed and matured, leading to an at-sea capstone demonstration of the complete firing chain remotely commanded from a surface combatant in FY 2022. The LUSV equipped with an integrated combat system and organic payload capability will not be capable of autonomous payload engagement or execution of a complete detect-to-engage sequence. The vessel will be incapable of payload activation, deactivation, or engagement without the deliberate action of a remote, off-hull human operator. The LUSV's combat systems and C4I configuration will ensure that a remote human operator must always positively command all payload activation, deactivation, and engagement. The LUSV program will integrate current Navy combat systems programs of record that have been adapted to enable remote monitoring and operational control from an off-hull command and control point, and will not be equipped with components that would enable payload engagement from onboard the vessel. USV Command and Control (C2) will be maintained via an 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 and LUSVs will have hardware and software components to protect classified/sensitive functions, countermeasures designed to thwart adversary exploitation, anti-tamper mechanisms to prevent disclosure of data, and electronic warfare defenses. LUSV will continue to leverage efforts external to this project unit accomplished through the OSD SCO Ghost Fleet - Overlord project that will complete in 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 are advancing the technology needed for autonomous operation of pier-launched vessels as well as increase the reliability and redundancy required to support Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) systems for unmanned vessels. The two existing Ghost Fleet Overlord prototypes procured in FY 2019 will be turned over to the Navy at the conclusion of the testing program at the end of FY 2021. The Navy's Surface Development Squadron (SURFDEVRON) will use the vessels for continued testing, experimentation, and refinement of unmanned platform CONOPs and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) to operate and fight alongside crewed platforms. Each vessel is anticipated to provide up to 1,000 hours annually of experimentation time, which will be used to further test and prove autonomous behaviors and reliability and automation of hull, mechanical, and electrical systems. In FY 2020, the Navy will procure two Overlord prototypes which will deliver in FY 2021. One vessel will be procured from each of the vendors on the current Washington Headquarters Services contract. Additional Overlord prototype(s) will be procured in FY21.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 3066_0603502N_4_1319_PB_2022
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