Future warfighting will require more affordable precision-guided weapons that are smaller, lighter, and significantly more effective than current systems. This requires guidance and control (G&C) that supports a three-to-one reduction in the number of PGMs required to defeat high-priority targets including time-critical mobile targets (e.g., TELs). As an example, the guided MLRS will reduce the number of rockets needed to defeat targets by at least a factor of 8 over existing systems, depending on target type and range, and result in a cost per kill reduced by a factor of 5. A decrease in false target acquisition and track over currently fielded systems will reduce both weapons launched per target and the number of sorties required to destroy a given target thereby reducing aircraft losses. G&C also supports high guidance accuracy (precise guidance) that will significantly reduce collateral damage by allowing use of smaller warheads. Future seekers will provide all-weather, completely autonomous operation, with increased standoff ranges against a broad target set in a very hostile, low-observable environment and with reduced incidents of fratricide. Potential transitions include MLRS, FOTT, JDAM, AMRAAM, AIM-9X, LHT/ATT, guided 2.75" rocket, and Stinger.
The focus of technology efforts to satisfy warfighting needs includes image/signal processing; modeling, test, and simulation; guidance components; and radiation guidance.
3.2.2.1 Goals and Timeframes. The investment strategy being followed is to improve the effectiveness of weapon G&C systems so that fewer weapons are needed per target. This reduces the overall cost of expending such weapons in combat and supports a parsimonious acquisition philosophy. We focus on affordability by emphasizing simulation to reduce R&D costs and to improve training and readiness; by linking G&C component development with manufacturing S&T; by utilizing commercial products when feasible; by increasing emphasis on hardware and software co-design; and by identifying critical shelf-life issues early in the acquisition cycle. The goals are listed in Table X-3.
3.2.2.2 Major Technical Challenges. Guidance and control challenges include design and manufacture of low-cost, high-performance G&C components; multimode/multispectral seekers; high-speed signal and image processing; reliable aimpoint selection; jam-resistant datalinks; and miniaturization and hardening of inertial measurement units (IMUs). Additional challenges include:
3.2.2.3 Related Federal and Private Sector Efforts. Advances in computer technology have greatly aided G&C. Automotive interests in inertial sensors help tremendously in cost reduction. There are many SBIR tasks that support G&C efforts. Much of the service- and industry-developed G&C control technology is distributed through the Guidance and Control Information and Analysis Center (GACIAC). Significant industry IR&D is performed in this area.
The investment strategy is to improve effectiveness of G&C systems so that fewer weapons are needed per target. Improved munition effectiveness will reduce required sortie rates and therefore launch platform (strike aircraft) attrition. Individual component cost is reduced as the various technologies evolve.
| Application/Mission | Short Term (1-2 Years) | Mid Term (3-5 Years) | Long Term (6+ Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire support | Demo advanced imaging autotracker algorithms that meet the require-ments of FMTI. | Demo low-cost, ruggedized pigtailing approach for lithium-niobate-integrated optic wave guides. | |
| Demo long-range, fiber-optic-guided (FOG) missile capable of ranges greater than 40 km. | Develop next generation of laser diode HWIL scene projectors. Conduct RFPI ACTD culminating with large-scale field exercises. | ||
| Complete guided flight test of semirigid wing platform. | Demo long-range fiber optic dispenser with improved pack stability over military environment. | ||
| Air defense | Demo sensor suite for air defense missile target acquisition. | Complete DIAL remote spectroscopy of targets. | FMTI Phase II ATD complete with 8-10 missile flights and soldier testing in realistic scenarios. |
| Complete LADAR scatter field test. | Demo capability to perform NCTR of air targets with special algorithms using air defense radar. | ||
| Demo low-cost, ruggedized pigtailing approach for lithium-niobate-integrated optic wave guides. | Demo advanced datalink technology capability including data compression, spread spectrum, and CM techniques for secure missile C2. | ||
| Demo multirole survivability radar in midcourse missile flight test. | Develop integrated circuitry for use in HWIL simulation of RF guided missiles. | ||
| Demo FMTI technology in flight test. | |||
| Upgrade to Stinger through integration with IIR seeker | |||
| Close combat | Demo north alignment to within 5-10 mrad in under 3 min at a production cost of <$5,000. | Develop the hardware and software for an imaging seeker that can auto acquire and select the impact point on a target. | Low-cost precision kill guided 2.75" rocket flight and user test. |
| Complete simulations and obtain accuracy assessment for alternative strap-down guidance concepts. | Demo advanced terminal homing auto-tracker in minimum-sized, low-power package. | ||
| Demo a G&C technique for precision air delivery systems. | Demo an unmanned autonomous ground vehicle navigation and target detection capability. | ||
| Demo a minimum-volume electronic controller for electro-mechanical actuators. |
Table X-3. Guidance and Control Subarea Goals and Timeframes (continued)
| Application/Mission | Short Term (1-2 Years) | Mid Term (3-5 Years) | Long Term (6+ Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop inexpensive electronically scanned array hardware for missile seekers | Demo tracking ability with small number (10-15) of transmit/receive units made with conventional hardware and mounted on conical surface of radome for 13-in missile. | ||
| Develop signal processor to rapidly identify selected target in air defense site and select aimpoint | Develop a signal processor with neural net algorithms to guide to a selected target from any attack aspect in JSOW size weapon. | ||
| Develop gimbal-less 94-GHz seeker tracker concept for SEAD applications | Develop 94-GHz gimbal-less seeker that tracks at least 30 deg off boresite. | Frequency-adaptive antenna system with no moving parts. | |
| Develop high frame-to-frame image compres-sion for application to bomb damage indication via imager data linked to damage assessor | Demo 300:1 image compression dynamically at 30-Hz or higher frame rate. | Demo 1000:1 image compression at 100-Hz frame rate. | |
| Defeat fixed high-value targets | Develop antijam GPS guidance system. Low-cost ($3-5k) increment for substantial antijam performance. | Demo AJ GPS/INS guidance on JDAM-type flight vehicle in heavy jamming environ-ment. Maintain current GPS/INS accuracies. | Develop and demo intelli-gent GPS/INS guidance system. Increase perform-ance against multiple (more than 3) high-power jammers. |
| Demo small, low-cost FOG IMU for tactical applica-tions. Cost goal is $6k for 25 in3 IMU with <1 deg/hr drift rate. | Develop and demo very low cost (<$2k) micro-machined IMUs with tactical (1-10 deg/hr) drift rate. | Develop multiple sensor using MEMS tech to provide tactical grade performance for <$1 k/IMU. | |
| Demo all-weather seeker | Demo basic SAR seeker design that will integrate with a GBU-15. | Free-flt test 3 GBU-15s configured with SAR seekers to demo integrated munition performance. | Demo advanced short-response mission planning, real-time targeting, and reduced seeker cost. |
| Develop and demonstrate precision LADAR seekers<./TD> | Develop LADAR seeker designs utilizing currently available technology. | Build and captive flt test advanced tech LADAR seeker designs for Small Smart Bomb and for Warrior. | Utilizing further LADAR tech developments, build and evaluate advanced tech LADAR seeker for the Dual-Range Missile. |
| Demo all-weather accurate guidance small warhead (SSB) | Demo SSB w/INS GPS | Demo SSB with terminal seeker |
The following additional demonstrations are planned:
3.2.3.2 Technology Development. Technology development efforts, supporting demonstrations described above, address longer term military applications. Major task areas are:
3.2.3.3 Basic Research. Basic research supports all four G&C technology subareas. In signal/ image processing, research is conducted to support algorithm development (e.g., wavelets, image algebra, model-based vision, superresolution, optical correlation filters), processing platforms (silicon architectures, optical correlators, analog and digital platforms), and processing systems approaches through biomimetics. Research is underway to understand the sensor fusion problem for multimode, multispectral seekers. In software and simulation, research is conducted to support advanced guidance laws, state vector estimators, autopilots, and INS/AJGPS systems; to continue development of synthetic target/background scene generation capability; to validate existing codes with measured data for all sensors of interest; and to evaluate signal/image processing algorithms. Scene projection technology is continuing development to enable realistic hardware-in-the-loop simulations for guided munitions equipped with passive IIR, dual-mode (current emphasis on passive IIR and MMW), and LADAR seekers. Closed-loop guidance and control coupled with advanced image/signal processing will enable development of autonomous munitions as intelligent systems. Radiation guidance research supports understanding target/ background signature phenomenology, weather effects, and countermeasure effects on various seeker types (e.g., polarization signatures, passive MMW phenomenology, the various subsystems required to support eye-safe LADAR, conformal electronically steered (RF) arrays). In the guidance component area, hardware and software approaches to the antijam GPS problems are being investigated, and research supporting higher performance, more affordable IFOG, and micromechanical inertial systems (nanosystems) is being conducted.
