Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV)
Abstract
As part of the Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Family of Systems (FoS), the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV) project provides resources for the detailed design, fabrication, testing and support of the MUSV. MUSV is defined as having a reconfigurable mission capability which is accomplished via modular payloads with an initial mission capability to support Battlespace Awareness through Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Electronic Warfare (EW). Modular payloads may be developed separately by other programs or prototyping efforts and will be further developed and/or integrated into MUSV under the Unmanned Surface Vessel Enabling Capabilities project unit that supports MUSV and LUSV. MUSVs will provide low cost, high endurance, reconfigurable ships able to accommodate various payloads for unmanned missions to augment the Navy's manned surface force. MUSVs will support the Navy's ability to produce, deploy and disburse ISR/EW capabilities in sufficient quantities and provide/improve distributed situational awareness in maritime Areas of Responsibility (AORs). MUSVs will be designed to be attritable assets if used in a peer or near-peer conflict. MUSVs will initially be capable of semi-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). MUSV 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. MUSVs will employ a Risk Management Framework (RMF) approach with physical, technical and administrative security controls. MUSVs 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. MUSVs 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. MUSV leverages efforts external to this project unit accomplished through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) and Office of Naval Research (ONR) Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MDUSV)/Sea Hunter investments in autonomy, endurance, command and control, payloads and testing in FY 2017 (continuing through FY 2021). Beginning in FY 2019, the Navy will commence transition of MDUSV Sea Hunter I and Sea Hunter II assets to Commander Naval Surface Forces under the MUSV project. In addition, the MUSV C2 concept directly leverages the fleet-ready C2 solution developed for unmanned surface vessels in the OSD SCO Ghost Fleet Overlord LUSV experimentation program. Future missions for MUSV will be informed by the Navy's Future Surface Combatant Force (FSCF) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) and as concept of operations (CONOPs) are developed. There is an opportunity to increase medium sized payloads based on the findings from the AoA, and as technology develops. MUSV will be 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. Fielding of MUSV will provide the Navy increased capability and necessary capacity at lower 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
- 3428_0603502N_4_1319_PB_2020
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