CLAWS
Abstract
The CLAWS INP effort will develop an autonomous unmanned undersea weapon system capable of providing offensive effects to the Combatant Commanders beyond Phase 0 inside the first island chain. It will clandestinely extend the reach of large UUVs and increase the mission areas into kinetic effects. CLAWS will deliver algorithms to enable all families of UUVs to operate in complex, dynamic and degraded environments. CLAWS will demonstrate autonomous missions in denied waters, develop and demonstrate autonomous technologies for survivability of large UUVs, and develop autonomy and launch capabilities for special mission payloads. CLAWS will be able to complete missions 1&2 against near peer adversary defenses, maintain critical communication with Navy C2/Fires and provide critical ISR information. The Activity identified in Project Unit 3451 specifically addresses Applied Research in support of the CLAWS INP effort. The efforts described in this Project address the Applied Research associated with the Innovative Naval Prototypes (INP) Program. These investments represent game changing technologies with the potential to revolutionize operational concepts. They are disruptive in nature, as they would dramatically change the way naval forces fight. Due to high technical risk, INPs typically have long duration but have no more than three years between decision points. They mature technologies from a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 2 or 3 to a TRL of 6. As such, INPs require both Budget Activity (BA) 2 and BA3 funding. The BA3 INP funds are specified in a separate Program Element (PE), 0603801N Innovative Naval Prototypes (INP) Adv Tec Dev. INPs do not develop hardware for service use; rather they provide feeder technology that can be demonstrated in prototypes in the 6.3 portion of the INP program. Developing INPs requires a systematic expansion and application of knowledge to develop useful materials, devices, and systems oriented toward the design and development of prototypes applicable to specific mission area requirements. The efforts funded within this PE translate promising basic research into solutions for broadly defined military needs. These efforts include developing breadboard hardware and algorithms that establish the initial feasibility and practicality of proposed solutions to technological challenges, such as concept exploration efforts, studies, investigations, and non-system specific technology efforts. The Department of the Navy would have to make significant acquisition decisions to integrate the new technological capabilities into naval warfighting systems. INPs are selected by a process that involves senior leadership in the Department of the Navy. Information security concerns preclude fully detailed descriptions of project efforts, research activities, and technology development plans. Specific information on each project and activity will be provided separately to the Congressional oversight committees.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 3451_0602792N_2_1319_PB_2021
Related Documents
- Root: Innovative Naval Prototypes (INP) Applied Res
- Child Accomplishment: CLAWS