UAV Mission / Payload Prioritization

In last year’s Report, we noted the initiation by the JROC’s UAV Special Studies Group (SSG) of its follow-on UAV payload prioritization work, according to UAV and projected mission or capability areas. This past year, the UAV SSG iterated both mission priorities and payloads by UAV with the Service and operational CINC staffs to develop a consolidated set of recommendations to suggest future technology investment. Current status is reflected below.

First, the CINCs prioritized the missions (at left) for each of the four future-force UAVs, as shown. Reconnaissance in all its major aspects is clearly seen as the primary warfighting role for all UAVs, no matter what their capabilities or operating régime. The other missions may have higher or lower priorities for each UAV, depending on that UAV’s characteristics. Payloads that have already been defined for specific UAVs and roles are shown in color. UAV-specific considera-tions are below the table.

Notional consolidated UAV-payload lists have been developed for each operating régime — Tactical and High Altitude — as options for post-ACTD program decisions. Cost and schedule factors were included to test for feasibility and affordability. These lists are shown at left. Outrider and Predator were envisioned in more tactical roles, while Global Hawk and DarkStar would perform in scenarios that required high operating altitudes. The mission functions that each UAV-payload option could perform are shown in the right column.

Some payloads will need corresponding improvements in communication links and data-processing capabilities, whether on- or off-board the UAV, to capitalize on the payload’s capability; for simplicity, these are not shown. In addition, some manned platform payloads are being considered for UAVs also, such as improved SIGINT, Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System (ASARS) and Senior Year Electro-optical Reconnaissance System Multi-Spectral Imagery (SYERS MSI).

Payload Test and Demonstration Programs

At the hardware application and integration level, payload testing and demonstration programs for tactical applications are conducted or supported by the PEO(CU).13 These continuing activities combine emerging technologies with operational concepts to provide an expanding menu of capabilities for fielding aboard the DoD’s evolving family of UAVs.

The FY 1996 payload demonstrations that were reported in FY 1997 are combined with FY 1997’s demonstrations in the table below. During this time frame, the PEO(CU) also participated in several operational exercises, to provide more convincing demonstrations of UAV and payload capabilities and utility. These activities are tabulated on p. 9.

The Army’s Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is testing a variety of EO/IR and Measurements and Signals Intelligence (MASINT) sensors aboard four Sentry UAVs recently acquired from S-TEC Corp. Although the immediate customer is the Army’s Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), these efforts will ultimately benefit tactical UAV users.

TCS Demonstration Aboard USS Tarawa

TCS was integrated aboard the USS Tarawa for a demonstration during the November 1997 Fleet Exercise (FLTEX), using the Gnat 750 (with MUSE as a backup simulation tool). In addition, data was received from a Pioneer flown off the USS Denver. TCS Levels 2 and 4 (direct data receipt, and UAV and payload control, respectively) were successfully demonstrated. TCS disseminated video imagery and telemetry data via closed-circuit television (CCTV) and the Joint Defense Intelligence Support System (JDISS). Additionally, UAV data was transmitted via tactical communi-cations to users for incorporation into the exercise.

Multiple UAV Simulation Environment (MUSE)

MUSE was developed by the Joint Technology/ Systems Integration Laboratory (JTSIL) to provide real-time operator-in-the-loop simulation of multiple UAVs. MUSE provides a realistic UAV environment for UAV systems integration, exercises, experiments, demonstrations, CONOPS develop-ment, and training. It is hosted on Silicon Graphics Onyx and Sun SPARC computer hardware and is fully transportable to user locations. The system currently simulates operations of Pioneer, Hunter, Outrider, Predator, and prototype TCS; it will incorporate HAE UAVs in FY 1998. MUSE sys-tems are currently provided at six Service locations.