Full Spectrum Undersea Warfare

Abstract

The FSUSW Project will develop new technology for offensive and defensive warfare conducted on the seabed, in the sea (i.e. subsea), and from the sea. FSUSW will address three thrusts identified in the Undersea Warfare Development Command's document, "Full Spectrum Undersea Warfare Concept of Operations (CONOPS)". These thrusts are: advanced offensive missions for submarines, subsea and seabed warfare, and distributed undersea warfare. Distributed undersea warfare technology will enable full participation of all undersea warfare assets in the Navy's Distributed Maritime Operations concept. FSUSW missions this Project addresses include Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti Surface Warfare, Strike, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Mine Warfare, and Subsea and Seabed Warfare (SSW). The FSUSW Project includes the Affordable Mobile ASW Surveillance System (AMASS) research and will leverage technology developed in the separate PE 06022792N, Project Unit 3450, AMOS. The Activity identified in Project Unit 3456 specifically addresses Applied Research in support of the FSUW 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: 3456_0602792N_2_1319_PB_2021

Tags

Readers

• Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.