Figure 3-17: TUAV Schedule
Objective
The objective of the Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration is to procure and support low cost tactical UAV systems to be used to refine the tactical UAV requirements of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps, and if successful, to develop a path to full production of the TUAV system. Impetus for this ACTD came in part from a Joint Requirements Oversight Committee direction to develop a single UAV that meets both ground and marinized Service requirements. To that end, the TUAV systems shall be a dedicated U.S. Army Brigade/U.S. Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)/U.S. Navy large deck amphibious ship UAV system which can deliver timely, accurate, and complete targeting and other battlefield information to commanders in near real-time that is interoperable with the Tactical Control System.
ACTD Participants
The TUAV ACTD is managed by the Program Executive Office for Cruise Missiles and UAVs, in close coordination with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, the U.S. Marine Corps Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation, and the U.S. Navy Doctrine Command, to ensure essential user input to requirements and assessment. The initial TUAV systems will be procured in competitive fashion from a contractor, and will be evaluated during a series of Service exercises planned in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corp. Each Service will be responsible for their exercise schedule, events, and assessments of the TUAV system.
Residual Capabilities
At the conclusion of the TUAV ACTD, the residual capability will be six operational TUAV systems, two Mobile Maintenance Facilities, trained personnel, and a concept of operations and support based on the capabilities and limitations of the system. An experienced cadre of operators and maintenance personnel at the unit level will be available as a contingency response team.
Concept of Operations and Technical Approach
The TUAV systems addresses the warfighters' need to provide tactical units with a responsive capability to conduct day or night operations including:
The TUAV system also recognizes the need to perform these operations in high-threat or heavily defended areas where loss of high-value manned systems is likely and near real-time information is required. To satisfy these missions, requirements were generated in a TUAV System Performance Document and are summarized below in Table 3-3.
| Parameter | Basic | Option |
| Range | 200km | |
| Target Location Error | Best Possible using state of the art Global Positioning System (GPS) (not to exceed 100m) | |
| On Station Endurance | 3 hours | 4 hours |
| Launch and Recovery | Unprepared surface/large deck amphibious ships | Add automatic takeoff and landing |
| System Mobility1 | 2 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)/1 Trailer | |
| System Deployability2 | Single C-130 (4 A/V and ground equipment) | |
| Payload | Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) | Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) |
| Integration | Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) shielding/corrosion inhibition | |
| Data Link | Compliant with JII (200 km Line of Sight (LOS) at sea level)3 | Common Data Link |
| Propulsion System | As provided by contractor | Heavy Fuel Engine |
| 1 The TUAV system will fit on two HMMWVs and one trailer with enough room for the vehicles driver's and passengers' combat equipment (rifles, helmets, camouflage netting, individual protective equipment, etc.) and enough Class 1 (subsistence), Class III (Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants), and Class IX (repair parts) supplies for the first __ hour period. 2 The system will have a drive-on/drive-off capability for transport on a single C-130. 3 The data link must provide the capability to maintain communications between the air vehicle and ground control equipment on a line-of-sight basis to a range of 200 am at sea level. | ||
A single TUAV system will be deployable on a single C-130 and consist of four air vehicles and the associated ground control equipment that will be mounted on two High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles and one trailer. EO and IR sensors will initially make up the payload, with SAR being the objective. The planned range is 200 km with four hours on station, and navigation will be accomplished by using state of the art GPS technology. The system will be operable by two personnel at the operator/unit level.
Testing and Evaluation
Testing and evaluation of the TUAV system will be planned and executed by each of the involved Services, including the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy, in coordination with the Program Manager for the TUAV. The U.S. Army will integrate the TUAV with the Force XXI Exercises at Fort Hood in FY97 and FY98. The U.S. Marine Corps will utilize the Combined Arms Exercises at 29 Palms in California and the Tactics Instruction Exercises in Yuma, Arizona, to evaluate the TUAV system. The U.S. Navy will begin their evaluation of the TUAV system with land-based testing by the U.S. Army in FY97 and follow with a "roll-on roll-off" exercise on an actual large-deck amphibious ship that will accomplish at least 10 daytime and 10 nighttime landings.
A contract was awarded to Alliant Techsystems on 2 May 1996 for six systems. An aggressive schedule of milestones is planned, including the first flight within six months of contract award and the first complete system delivery within twelve months of contract award. Special importance was placed on meeting a stringent cost ceiling of $300,000 for the 100th air vehicle. The TUAV ACTD is structured to ensure an operational assessment of the military utility of this system before initiation of formal acquisition.
Figure 3-17 contains a schedule of the TUAV ACTD. This activity will last for 24 months, and prior to its completion, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology will make a transition decision on the future of the program.
The Program Executive Office for Cruise Missiles and UAVs will serve as the executing agent, providing management for the ACTD through production. Management activity will be monitored by the Overarching Integrated Product Team co-chaired by the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Advanced Technology and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief for the U.S. Atlantic Command.
Figure 3-17: TUAV Schedule
TUAV points of contact are listed below.
| AT Staff | Service/Agency POC | User Sponsor |
| COL John Fricas (703) 697-6446 |
PEO (CU) RADM Barton Strong (703) 604-1088 |
TBD |