MQ-9 Upgrade
Abstract
Will develop upgrade capabilities to support Releases 3 and 4 of the Hybrid Acquisition strategy. New capabilities will include upgrades of existing aircraft, Ground Control Station (GCS), communication, and payload systems as well as the addition of new capabilities and subsystems. Final lists of upgrades included in each release will be determined as part of future Configuration Steering Board direction and inputs from JUONs and Urgent Operational Need request. Formal approval of Release 3 content will be established in FY 2016 and is currently subject to fluctuation pending customer priorities. Some current candidates for Release 3 include the following: •Autonomous Systems upgrades •Communication Systems upgrades to include the following efforts: •Video Orientated Transceiver for EXchange of Information (VORTEX) Phase 2 will complete the Ground Control Station (GCS) upgrade allowing functionality within the GCS only currently available via laptop computer •Bandwidth Efficient (BE)Common Data Link (CDL) for Command and Control (C2) and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) transmission to Ground Control Stations (GCS) •Improved (including BE) Beyond LoS (BLOS) military SATCOM usage •Development and integration of an IP-based Remote Split Operations (RSO) network/infrastructure to include: Improvements to Ground Data Terminals (GDT), •Design, development, and test of IP-based network interfaces, Improved Predator Primary Data Link (PPDL) capabilities, network systems managers, SATCOM and relay site capabilities upgrades, drafting Technical Orders (TO) and support documentation, training materials, production drawings, and retrofit acceptance plans •Differential Global Positioning System (GPS) enhancements •AH Cheeks •JDAM targeting improvement •Tech Insertion integration •Beyond Line of Sight (BLoS) •Barrett Asymmetric Digital Datalink (BADDC) •Guided Bomb Unit - 54 (GBU-54) Some current candidates for Release 4 include the following: •Flight/Payload OFP software separation •Block 5 aircraft systems synchronized with Block 50 GCS •Will provide Other Government Agency support for MQ-9 testing to include continued acceptance testing of weapon system hardware and software IAW with contract standards, developmental testing of new capabilities, and Reliability and Maintainability (R&M), upgrades.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2017
- Source ID
- f0b8700bcd9373c39a75f03a37369169
Related Documents
- Root: MQ-9 UAV