MQ-25 Development
Abstract
The MQ-25 program rapidly develops an unmanned capability to embark on CVNs as part of the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) to conduct aerial refueling as a primary mission and provide Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) capability as a secondary mission. MQ-25 extends CVW mission effectiveness range, partially mitigates the current Carrier Strike Group (CSG) organic ISR shortfall and fills the future CVW-tanker gap, mitigating Strike Fighter shortfall and preserving F/A-18E/F Fatigue Life for its primary missions. As the first carrier-based, group 5 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), MQ-25 will pioneer the integration of manned and unmanned operations, demonstrate mature complex sea-based Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) UAS technologies, and pave the way for future multifaceted multi-mission UAS to pace emerging threats. MQ-25 requirements are aligned with the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems (FoS) ICD, which highlight the need for carrier-based refueling and persistent ISR capabilities. The Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) endorsed the UCLASS ICD in April 2011 and formally approved it on 9 Jun 11 via Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memorandum (JROCM) 087-11. The NGAD FoS ICD was validated by the JROC on 18 August 2015 and formally approved by JROCM 087-15. The JROC's guidance delineated in the validated ICDs and subsequent JROCMs was to establish a requirement for a versatile platform that supports a myriad of organic Naval missions such as aerial refueling and ISR to support the CSG. The JROC validated the Capability Development Document (CDD) for MQ-25 Carrier Based Unmanned Air System (CBUAS) on 21 July 2017. After contract award in 2018, an opportunity to accelerate Initial Operational Capability (IOC) to 2024 was recognized, and the Navy decided to make the investments required to capture that opportunity by increasing the number of test carrier installs to four and funding System Demonstration Test Article (SDTA) production to start in FY20. MQ-25 will be designed to conduct aerial refueling and ISR missions. MQ-25 will have the ability to refuel all carrier based fixed wing aircraft capable of aerial refueling and to pass sensor data to other aircraft, naval vessels, and ground forces. Sensor data will be transmitted at appropriate classification levels, to exploitation nodes afloat and ashore (e.g. Distributed Common Ground System - Navy). The MQ-25 system will be sustainable onboard an aircraft carrier, as well as ashore, and will be designed to minimize the logistics footprint of the current CVW. MQ-25 will achieve these capabilities through the use of a carrier-suitable, semi-autonomous, unmanned Air Segment and the UCA Mission Control System (UMCS) that provides CVN infrastructure modifications and hardware to support MQ-25 operations aboard all NIMITZ class carriers (except CVN 68), all delivered and planned FORD class carriers, and operational shore sites. The Government will perform Lead Systems Integration (LSI), providing government-led system of systems integration for the MQ-25 Program. The program will coordinate across all segments and with external stakeholders to ensure program activities are synchronized. MQ-25 will interface with existing ship and land-based command and control systems, including ISR Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination systems. The scope of the program includes, but is not limited to, system level requirements identification, allocation of requirements to segments and components, design, development, integration, fabrication, test, training, and support activities to provide the MQ-25 capabilities. To accomplish these capabilities, MQ-25 will transition (as required) technologies from other programs and adapt them into the carrier environment. MQ-25 will deliver the necessary air vehicles, command, control, connectivity, shipboard and land-based launch and recovery control systems, associated support systems, interfaces, and upgrades to other Navy systems (as required) to meet the required capabilities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Source ID
- 3278_0605414N_5_1319_PB_2020
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- Root: (U) Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA)
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