Unmanned Surface Vehicle Enabling Capabilities
Abstract
In order to accelerate future capability and support steady growth of the Navy's Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Family of Systems (FoS), the USV Enabling Capabilities project includes the development, test, and integration of USV technologies, the advancement of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Industry USV efforts for associated technologies, and the development and fabrication of payloads for Large Unmanned Surface Vessels (LUSVs) and Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MUSVs). USV technology efforts in this project unit support the development and demonstration of autonomy, communications, USV Operations Centers, sensor and component integration for navigation compliance and reliability, data management, machinery qualification, non-combat payload feasibility, and enabling technologies for other USVs in the USV FoS, as applicable. The Autonomy portion of this project funds efforts to standardize autonomy architecture and interfaces, develop and test low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) autonomy functions, develop and test common vessel control systems, software modeling and simulation, and employ a Secure Development and Operations (DevSecOps) software pipeline to facilitate integration and improve security. These autonomy efforts are executed under the Rapid Autonomy Integration Laboratory (RAIL) framework and include advanced development, prototyping, and demonstrations. The Communications portion of this project funds efforts to develop, test, and demonstrate autonomous communication hardware and software. A key enabler to allow man-in-the-loop or man-on-the-loop control of the USVs and USV FoS will be the development of an unmanned communications suite. Initial efforts have focused on the modification of existing Program of Record of Program Executive Office (PEO) C4I systems. Further efforts are needed to engineer autonomous behaviors into the Navy's next generation of PEO C4I systems to meet USV operational needs. Additionally, this effort will include the modification and testing of cryptographic equipment as needed to obtain the necessary approvals and certifications for use in unmanned, high-threat environments. The USV Operations Center portion of this project will outfit and sustain land-based USV Operations Centers. These Operations Centers will allow the Fleet to control multiple USVs and multiple types of USVs simultaneously, conduct exercises, and continue CONOPS development. The sensor and component integration for navigation compliance and reliability portion of this project funds efforts to analyze the performance of commercial hardware/software and integrate those sensors/components into USVs for improved performance. These funds also identify gaps in performance for future SBIRs, Department of Defense Science and Technology efforts, and industry feedback as well as establish standards of performance for future contracting actions. The data management portion of this project will develop the data infrastructure needed to collect, store, and analyze data from the USVs in order to certify system performance, maintain and improve software, and identify sensors/components in need of further improvement. Non-combat modular payloads employed by USVs will be developed under this project unit. Payloads will be customized to meet Navy needs and demonstrate useful capability for the Fleet. Some examples include Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) payloads as well as persistent airborne systems that extend the C2 reach of host platforms. In FY 2022, one modular communication and surveillance payload and both variants of the persistent airborne systems will be procured. Also in FY 2022, several contracts for autonomy development and management will be awarded, low TRL autonomy functions will continue to be developed and tested, communication equipment will continue to be made either remote-capable or autonomous, unmanned cryptographic systems will continue to be developed, data management infrastructure will be expanded to include additional users, and autonomy integration will begin with the Land Based Test Site. Finally, funding from the Program Element will be used to develop and initially execute an USV machinery qualification plan led by industry with government oversight. Contracts will be awarded to multiple vendors to qualify LUSV-representative machinery (which may also be used by other USVs) in order to reduce technical and schedule risk while providing multiple options for vendors on the future LUSV Detail Design and Construction solicitation. These qualification efforts will be closely coordinated with the Navy's LBTS at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 3067_0605513N_4_1319_PB_2022
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