Elbit Systems has been awarded a contract to supply Seagull USVs to the Navy of a country in Asia-Pacific.
Under the contract, which will be performed over a 17-month period, Elbit Systems will provide Seagull USV systems that are specifically configured to perform Mine Counter Measures (MCM) missions while facilitating the option to add technology modules needed for Anti-Submarine Warfare.
The Seagull USVs will be equipped with Side-Scan and Forward-Looking sonars, Mine Identification and Destruction Remotely Operated Vehicles. They will also be equipped with Elbit Systems’ autonomous suite, Combat Management System and Satellite Communication capability.
With the Seagull USVs, the customer’s Navy will be able to execute end-to-end MCM operations, handling bottom, moored and drifting seamines. The Seagull USV offers endurance of four days, sea-keeping missions of up to Sea-State 5 and the flexibility to control several vessels from the same Mission Control System.
“There is a growing recognition of the essentiality of autonomous capabilities to perform a range of maritime missions, especially Mine Counter Measures and Anti-Submarine Warfare,” says Elad Aharonson, general manager of Elbit Systems ISTAR.
“The Seagull USV has proven, since 2017, its capability to perform such missions, providing Naval forces with increased mission effectiveness, reduced risk and better cost-efficiency.”
Defense
Defense
Zipline demonstrates medical drone delivery technology during multinational military forces exercises
During multinational forces exercises with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the Australian Defense Force (ADF), Zipline successfully forward-deployed to Australia to pilot its life-saving UAS technology.
According to Zipline, the deployment sought to showcase how its logistics network of autonomous delivery UAS could help transform emergency medicine and critical care in conflict, as well as in humanitarian and disaster relief scenarios.
“The U.S. military is one of the largest providers of life-saving health care and critical aid in conflict, humanitarian and disaster relief scenarios around the world. Zipline is proud to partner with the Defense Department because our goal is to get people the care they need to stay healthy and alive no matter where they are in the world and no matter the circumstances,” says Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo.
Part of a collaborative effort between Zipline, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and the Naval Medical Research Center's Naval Advanced Medical Development (NMRC-NAMD), the medical drone delivery exercises provided the military the opportunity to evaluate how UAS technology could instantly deliver critical and life-saving supplies during combat.
“DIU makes it possible for cutting-edge, civilian technology companies like Zipline to serve our country, which is a privilege,” Rinaudo says. “We look forward to continuing working with them.”
Last year, Zipline, DIU and NMRC-NAMD began looking into how UAS delivery could transform critical care in forward-deployed environments. This work resulted in the DoD asking Zipline to demonstrate its ability to “rapidly deploy, build, and operate” its instant drone delivery and logistics technology to an austere environment on an undisclosed military facility in the Western U.S.
Zipline flew 227 sorties in a variety of conditions, and showcased its swarming ability in response to frontline mass casualty events.
As part of the exercise, Zipline completed a 79-mile round trip delivery flight at an average speed of 64 miles per hour. This is the longest-range commercial drone delivery flight in U.S. history, the company says.
Following its successful demonstration during the U.S. exercise, Zipline was asked to forward deploy in the field and integrate its service with a Marine Air-Ground Task Force for operational testing during multinational exercises between the U.S. and Australian militaries in Australia between late July and early September.
Over the course of four multinational force exercises, Zipline demonstrated its ability to help save lives in austere and tactical emergency environments using its instant drone delivery capability.
Zipline conducted more than 400 deliveries, which included mock blood resupplies to forward deployed Shock Trauma Platoons, responding to simulated mass casualty events, and delivering 150 pounds of cargo in under three hours.
“We hope to continue working with the Department of Defense to help actively train military personal on the best ways to use this technology as we prepare for the day it may be sent to the front lines to help save lives,” Rinaudo says.
RE2 Robotics receives $2.5 million contract to continue developing its Dexterous Maritime Manipulation System
RE2 Robotics, which develops humanlike robotic manipulator arms, has received a $2.5 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to continue developing and commercializing its Dexterous Maritime Manipulation System (DM2S).
Equipped with RE2’s DM2S technology, Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel will be able to “remotely and effectively” address Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices (WBIEDs).
“As with the majority of our robotic technologies, the goal of the DM2S is to keep humans out of harm’s way while performing dangerous tasks,” says Jorgen Pedersen, president and CEO of RE2 Robotics.
“DM2S provides Navy EOD personnel with the ability to address threats like WBIEDs from a remote location, such as from a ship or on land.”
According RE2 Robotics, 90 percent of global trade is conducted by sea, so WBIEDs and mines present a great threat to vessels, bridges, and ports. WBIEDs are especially hard to access and defeat when they are placed in congested areas like bridge pilings.
RE2 Robotics says as a result of the inherent dangers associated with detection and inspection of WBIEDs, “there is a critical need for robotic systems that can perform EOD tasks with the accuracy and speed of a naval diver.”
With this in mind, RE2’s dual-arm DM2S can easily integrate with underwater vehicles that the Navy is already using, which eliminates the need for the military to purchase all new robotic systems for underwater operations.
“The compact, efficient, human-like capability of DM2S is conducive for integration onto autonomous underwater vehicles so that they can perform longer-duration autonomous inspection and intervention tasks,” explains Jack Reinhart, Director of Product and Project Management.
“In addition to defense applications, we are actively pursuing commercial uses for this technology, including underwater inspection, maintenance, and repairs in the oil and gas industry.”
Northrop Grumman's Remotec Inc. unveils Nomad UGV
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s subsidiary Remotec Inc. is unveiling a new UGV called Nomad, which is the newest member of Northrop Grumman’s Andros line of UGVs, and is Interoperability Profile (IOP)-compliant.
Designed using a “proven concurrent engineering process,” Nomad is similar to other systems in the Northrop Grumman Andros fleet, as it incorporates decades’ worth of feedback collected while working with first responder and military customers, in an effort to offer advanced technology, ease of use and reliability.
“Building on our 30-year heritage, Nomad represents another exciting chapter of Andros innovation, performance and value in render-safe operations,” says Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, missile defense and protective systems division, Northrop Grumman.
“Future upgrades can be spiraled via IOP compliance and its next-generation track pods allow Nomad to go where others cannot.”
IOP is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Defense to “organize and maintain interoperability standards for UGVs.”
Using IOP-compliant software messaging and hardware interfaces, Nomad can effortlessly integrate the best available capabilities, sensors and payloads for various types of functions and missions.
Nomad weighs 164 pounds, is 35.5 inches long, 23 inches wide and 26 inches high when “its mast is horizontal or 42 inches high when the mast is fully vertical.”
The UGV is equipped with a manipulator arm that is capable of lifting 15 pounds when fully extended. The arm also features “impressive dexterity through extensive shoulder pitch, shoulder rotation, elbow pitch and wrist roll abilities.”
Thanks to the UGV’s four independent track pods, Nomad has “extreme mobility with stability climbing uneven terrain, complex obstacles and inclines as steep as 60 degrees.”
Royal Australian Navy, Defence Science and Technology Group showcase AUVs during Summerfest event
During the inaugural ‘Summerfest’ event at HMAS Creswell, Jervis Bay in Dec. 2019, the Royal Australian Navy and the Defence Science and Technology Group showcased new capability in the use of AUVs.
During the event, 32 AUV experts from Navy, Defence Science and Technology (DST), industry and academia came together to share knowledge and potential answers to common challenges in the growing AUV environment.
Navy engineers also had the opportunity to mark the progress made in AUV applied research and operations throughout 2019.
“Summerfest was very much focused on users and developers of AUV behaviors, and the group was motivated to apply research and advance capability,” says Capability Realisation Engineer, Lieutenant James Keane from the Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Force Element Group.
“Our aim was to see what progress had been made in our use of AUVs in the mine warfare and hydrographic communities, so that we have a benchmark for our work in 2020.”
During the event, participants were able to test the use of a USV on the water that could act as a communications gateway for multiple AUVs.
“Using an unmanned service vessel in this way allowed the operators to remotely view the live status of the vehicle when it was on the surface and gave HQ the ability to reconfigure the vehicle or change its mission parameters in between dives,” Lieutenant Keane explains.
“Next year we want to continue proving the capability of a surface vehicle to monitor AUVs and also to increase the interoperability between the USV and multiple AUVs.”
The USV was supplied under contract to DST Group by industry partner Ocius Technologies, whom also supported the activity during the trial.
“In summary, this activity showed the value of USV-AUV collaboration to a degree that was not expected, given the relatively minimal preparations that DST and Ocius were able to undertake prior to the trial,” says DST Group Research Scientist Dr. Stuart Anstee.
“The USV was operated from MV Kimbla, but could have been operated from anywhere with a mobile 4G connection.”
The week-long event at Creswell also allowed the Navy to test the technology in a higher sea state than they have previously operated, Lieutenant Keane adds.
“We were out there for longer periods than we’ve previously tried, and operating under tougher conditions allows us to improve our capability and sets us up for further work in 2020,” Lieutenant Keane says.
From Unmanned Systems Magazine: Military looks to startup world to speed technological innovation
Recognizing the need to revitalize its procurement process, the Pentagon established a fast-track organization two years ago that would accelerate delivery of critical new technologies and systems to its warfighters.
Under the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the new Defense Innovation Unit, known as DIU, would serve as a direct pipeline to connect military customers with non-traditional businesses.
Its creators made a conscious initial choice not to locate DIU too close to the Pentagon’s flagpole, and the mainstream contracting and procurement machine in its shadow. Rather, the agency opened its first office at Mountain View, Calif., in Silicon Valley, expanding to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in July 2016 and then Austin, Texas, all before hanging a fourth shingle in Washington, D.C.
These locations provide rich pools of brainpower and investment capital that might otherwise go unnoticed, DIU’s creators believe. While traditional military procurement could take months, DIU already boasts that one new contract agreement took a mere 31 days to finalize. Though this is the exception to the rule, DIU still is aiming to streamline the process so that deals are done within 60 days.
“The DOD [Department of Defense] stood us up to leverage the significant amount of investment and capabilities happening not within the realm of traditional contractors, but rather on the open commercial market,” says Orin Hoffman, who serves as DIU’s expert in autonomy and robotics.
Hoffman says the Boston area, where he is based, was chosen because it is home to a significant robotics and artificial intelligence “ecosystem.” He sees his job as leveraging the relationships among the small and big companies there and the military services and departments that could use both the hardware and software innovations they have to offer.
“DIU is looking to lower the barrier of entry [for] companies that otherwise do not have DOD incentives because of all of the rules and regulations that slow down the award for any contract,” says David Rothzeid, an Air Force major who serves as the agency’s director of acquisition pathways.
“It’s simple to state, but difficult to execute,” Hoffman says. “It’s important to note that with a lot of what is occurring in the commercial space, especially with start-up companies, building relationships is essential.”
The agency takes a deliberate and competitive approach to its mission, Rothzeid says. The process entails having companies produce what are known as solution briefs, which address capability gaps among military services and agencies.
“We try to match the best of technology vendors to address those capability gaps, in order for us to develop very specific contracts,” Rothzeid says.
Companies that can be as small as two-person garage shops are constantly developing new capabilities but are wary of sharing them publicly, for fear of having their ideas appropriated and marketed by someone else.
“It is fairly common for a company in the early stage to develop products in what they call ‘self mode,’ in order to get a head start in the marketplace,” Hoffman says. “But for us to be able to decide what technologies to invest in, we need to know what’s being developed at that edge of innovation.”
For this reason, Hoffman says, DIU prefers to work with these so-called “off companies.” The agency serves as a launch customer for them whenever warranted, providing funding for prototype developments. It can negotiate agreements between small companies and military users that protect smaller developers’ intellectual property.
“A key element in our model is to convince these companies to work with the Defense Department. Respect for trade secrets is critical,” Hoffman says.
Prospective vendors who visit the DIU web site, diux.mil, will find an easily navigable menu that outlines how to work with the agency. It provides the names of companies who had success through the process, and lists the key areas of expertise that are in high demand within the U.S. armed forces:
AI – putting machine-learning capabilities to use for “operational impact.”
Autonomy – incorporating systems that can operate by themselves or interact with human operators at scalable levels, or mitigating threats posed by adversaries’ autonomous systems.
Human systems – particularly in the realm of force protection. Survivability, and biomedical training play key roles.
Information technology – managing the flow of information and making it accessible and useful to warfighters.
Space – ensuring that access to satellites and other assets is available on demand, and facilitating data transfer.
“As far as tangible benefits, there has been a number of project successes, ranging from the way the Air Force does software development, to the fielding of counter-UAS capabilities,” Hoffman says.
It is important to note, Hoffman says, that DIU is doing more than merely investing in companies that produce prototype systems. Interaction with companies is only the first step. The process requires working closely with the military program offices to change and adapt their typically linear development process. Figuring out how to use rapid, iterative commercial-design development and fit it into an atypical acquisition program is a significant challenge, he says.
“But it is as important a part of our charter as anything else,” Hoffman says.
Because there are always areas within the armed forces that experiment with innovation, Hoffman believes DIU will remain a permanent and evolving fixture within the Pentagon hierarchy. When a new technology or process emerges and proves successful, it presumably would make the transition into the individual services’ program offices for further refinement before moving out into the hands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. DIU, then, would move on to the next innovation challenge.
“From a robotics perspective, I’d note that DOD is entering a challenging time — where we introduce increasing levels of autonomy and AI into hardware systems,” Hoffman says.
Innovations should continue to proceed in hardware, Hoffman says, but software would need to advance at a comparable pace.
“This is challenging from a programmatic as well as user-focused design perspective,” Hoffman says. “As we look at the next challenges in unmanned systems, it will become increasingly important for DOD to embrace not just these technologies, but also the commercial processes — to field effective capabilities to the warfighter.”
Two years into its existence, DIU has shown some remarkable successes, Rothzeid says. Companies that compete in its solicitation process are growing in number. Repeat contract awards are an indicator of its efficacy, as are the increases in demand signals coming the agency’s way from within DOD organizations. Third-party investors are catching wind of this, and becoming more willing to invest in these enterprises. This private equity functions as a force multiplier in relation to the dollars the Pentagon puts into investment, which ultimately saves taxpayer dollars.
Techstars
The need for quicker procurement has led the Air Force to follow its own route toward a more efficient process. The service established a relationship with Techstars, the Boulder, Colo.-based business-accelerator firm, in order to help resolve the issue.
“The Air Force noticed in the past few years that commercial industry was accelerating past them,” says Warren Katz, managing director of Techstars’ Air Force autonomous technology accelerator program.
“The Pentagon was realizing that adversaries can buy [new technologies] off the shelf, simply avoiding an acquisition system that is antiquated and ponderous,” Katz says.
The Air Force watched Techstars work with very select groups of small startup companies, liked what it saw, and entered a one-year agreement to collaborate in bringing what these businesses had to offer to the force. The Air Force’s AFWERX, which fosters technological innovation, serves as the umbrella organization. (The acronym stands alone and does not represent an abbreviation for a phrase name.)
Techstars’ approach provided a welcome respite for the Air Force’s cumbersome SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program, Katz says.
“Companies became addicted or dependent upon SBIR grants and never actually commercialize their research or their product, because the money comes too easily. It creates welfare recipients that DOD doesn’t want to have,” Katz says.
In collaboration with AFWERX, Techstars is in the process of implementing a series of changes aimed at running a sweep around the SBIR process.
The first phase, now under way, entails changing SBIR funding to $50,000 for 90 days, down from $150,000 per year. By shrinking the time, the hope is to award a contract within 30 days instead of six months.
The second phase, which is still under development, would change SBIR contracts into commercial product purchase orders, Katz says. As of now, they tend to be labor contracts, which require small businesses to establish the same time sheets and financial reporting systems as larger corporations must — something they simply do not want to do.
“This has multiple benefits. It gets small businesses out of [the perception that they must function as] defense contractors. It interfaces with the way a company sells to everyone else in the world,” Katz says.
The third phase, also in the planning stage, would establish some form of open-contract mechanism that would allow a DOD customer to buy a product directly and without waiting for a competition among vendors to take place.
“A company can wire-transfer the money from their budget to [the business], with an open purchase order. It’d be the money of the customer or user, out of their own budget, paying for the product,” Katz says.
As it unfolds, the process is being closely watched by other military agencies and other entities of the federal government as well, Katz says.
“All the other services see this and want to copy it, changing the SBIR program forever,” Katz says. “And it’s much more appealing for non-traditional providers. It looks and smells much more like their corporate clients.”
Above: Air Force officials and startups meet at a Techstars event. Photo: Techstars. Below: The Defense Innovation Unit's Orin Hoffman discusses DIU at AUVSI's Defense. Protection. Security conference in 2018. Photo: AUVSI
From Unmanned Systems magazine: Market Report Part 2: Legacy geographies point to new growth in radio frequency UAS sensors
Airborne synthetic aperture radars, or SARs, process radar returns as if they were collected by an antenna as much as several hundred meters long.
This “synthetic” antenna aperture is created by the movement of the aircraft itself — which is why airships do not make good SAR platforms — and allows a “parallax view” of the ground similar to a stereoscopic optical image. SARs were developed during the Cold War for their radio frequency ability to provide ground reconnaissance through the clouds and bad weather in Europe, unlike visual, infrared, and even hyperspectral sensors, and for ground moving target indication, which measures the displacement of vehicles and other objects during the radar scan.
Conflicts of the last decade and a half saw a major shift in geography and opponents, with clear skies much more the norm throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. This led to explosive growth in electro-optical sensors (and the defenseless unmanned aircraft and aerostats carrying them). But today, with increased Russian activity in Europe and the “pivot to Asia” leading strategic thinking back to more varied climates and weather, the need for SARs will become more important than ever.
Glowing SAR market
UAS SAR funding has already more than tripled over the past decade. Initially, most of this was due to major RDT&E funding for Northrop Grumman/Raytheon’s large AN/ZPY-2 MP-RTIP (Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program) radar for the Block 40 Global Hawk, but in the past few years several smaller SAR production programs, including Starlite and Lynx radars for Predator A and B variants, the Gray Eagle and Reaper, have funded a broader and more robust increase.
We had earlier forecast a continuing dominance of MP-RTIP, much as JSTARS dominated the manned SAR market for decades, but it now looks like not only has USAF MP-RTIP production ended prematurely at 11 radars, but the Air Force even considered “divesting” the entire Block 40 Global Hawk fleet. Apart from the USAF, the final two of five MP-RTIPs were completed in 2016, for NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Global Hawks, and MP-RTIP/AGS funding has now suddenly dropped from more than $300 million annually to only about $100 million. MP-RTIP will likely remain a major program for a decade or more, but will no longer dominate.
The few other legacy UAS SARs, all smaller systems like Raytheon’s Block 30 Global Hawk HISAR and perhaps General Atomics’ Lynx, will also soon shrink in importance once production ends. However, Teal Group sees the future for the UAS SAR market as nothing other than glowing, for the geopolitical and technical reasons described above, and today’s watershed — and a brief funding lull in fiscal year 2017 after MP-RTIP production ends — will presage massive growth in the market for next-generation systems.
We forecast total market funding available to U.S. manufacturers will more than double from $829 million in FY ‘17 to $2.1 billion in FY ‘26, with a 10.7 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), led by classified stealthy systems such as the radar for the Air Force’s recently revealed (and now black again) high-altitude RQ-180 ISR UAS, and several systems for classified and unclassified semi-stealthy UCAVs for the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
Other new markets will grow with unclassified radars such as the Northrop Grumman AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) radar for the Navy’s maritime BAMS MQ-4C Triton (based on Global Hawk), which finally has solid large-scale production beginning now, as well as other new near-future maritime and endurance UAVs. Finally, smaller SARs for tactical UAS have been sought for many years, and we see major production of new systems beginning in the next decade for the U.S. Navy’s Fire Scout, the U.S. Army’s RQ-7 Shadow, and other small UAS.
The drone SAR market may be the place to be in ISR sensors for the next decade, but an increasing percentage of the market will be classified systems funded by classified budgets. Thus, Teal Group’s forecast has more than its share of speculation. We have confidence in our overall market forecast, as supported by recent news and documents and contracts, but funding may shift somewhat between new and classified programs as the UAS SAR market grows steadily through the next decade.
Great opportunities
In terms of market access, the UAS SAR market earlier seemed to be offering great opportunities to new firms, with several small developers earning big contracts.
Instead, Northrop Grumman has led the drone SAR market for the past decade in a dominant fashion, with the majority of MP-RTIP funding as well as MFAS and the much smaller Starlite. But Raytheon (MP-RTIP and HISAR) and General Atomics (Lynx) have substantial shares, and Telephonics was recently chosen by the Navy to provide the AN/ZPY-4 maritime radar for Fire Scout. In fact, with MP-RTIP/AGS production now ended, General Atomics — not even primarily an electronics or radar producer — will lead the unclassified UAS SAR market for the next few years until the US Air Force’s major procurement for Reaper Lynx new production and upgrades ends. A reasonably healthy market mix should continue for at least a few years, and Teal Group also suspects other firms besides Northrop Grumman may hold a large share of some classified programs — perhaps even Lockheed Martin, which does not figure in the unclassified market at all.
More importantly, the coming growth we forecast in planned and speculative programs is largely still uncontracted. Beginning in FY ‘18, 46 percent or more of our forecast funding is still available. And fully 74 percent or more annually of UAS SAR funding forecast from FY ‘22 onward is still uncontracted and often still unbudgeted.
Northrop Grumman will likely earn a substantial portion of this, and will likely return to the No. 1 market position in the second half of our forecast, with continuing Triton MFAS and other programs, but small technology companies could suddenly find themselves at least a moderate player (perhaps before being bought out or passed over), especially for new tactical or micro/nano-UAV radars. Major radar firms such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon would also be wise to pursue the UAV SAR market — it is likely they already have, in classified markets, and will offer major subcontracting opportunities.
SIGINT becomes A-list
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) sensors now garner genuine “A-list” funding for drones as well as manned airborne platforms. Because threats are constantly evolving, and because detecting improvised explosive devices has become so dependent on SIGINT, continuing RDT&E and upgrade funding will be needed, even for legacy systems. SIGINT is a general term that includes radio band (COMINT — communications intelligence), radar band (ELINT — electronic intelligence), and MASINT (measurement and signature intelligence) systems.
SIGINT has had a relatively low profile among manned electronic warfare programs in the past, while jammers and radar and missile warning systems have gotten most of the attention and funding. But that has changed since the conflicts began in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the threat continues today from non-state actors worldwide; again, new geographies have resulted in changing needs. Monitoring civilian communications has become more vital than fighting sophisticated surface-to-air missile radar networks, as IEDs have resulted in a large proportion of U.S. casualties.
By 2017, the biggest SIGINT programs of record for UAS were already well established, with production under way in some (not yet all) cases, but with at least Quick Reaction Capability systems already aboard most drones. But if production of U.S. Navy and Air Force UCAVs — including likely classified programs with new electronic attack (EA) systems — goes ahead, mid-term funding growth will accelerate at the end of the decade, leading to a spectacular 18.8 percent CAGR, from $961 million in FY ‘19 to $1.6 billion in FY ‘22. Overall growth in our forecast period will see a 9.2 percent CAGR, from $752 million in FY ‘17 to nearly $1.7 billion in FY ‘26.
ASIP and others
Many inexpensive, short-range COMINT receivers on UAS, in direct support of ground troops, have already been procured for all scales of UAS, usually as minor acquisitions, not programs of record. Larger-scale, longer range, more sophisticated and expensive COMINT systems for endurance UAS have also been in development for more than a decade, with Northrop Grumman’s Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) entering production several years ago. On U.S. Air Force Global Hawks, Reapers and Predators (QRC systems), and also manned U-2 and (Army) Guardrail aircraft, ASIP became the first major manned-aircraft-equivalent UAS SIGINT program, earlier funded at $200 million per year or more (UAS component). But reduced future funding will be mostly for upgrades.
In May 2017, ASIP Increment II was funded as a new start program in the USAF budget, to expand COMINT and ELINT frequency range, reduce special signals bandwidth, and decrease mission loading time via a new encryptor system. Build A upgrade kits for 21 Block 30M Global Hawks (and seven spares) are scheduled to begin in FY ‘18, with Build B projected for an FY ‘22 start date.
In May 2017, the USAF also planned new and upgraded SIGINT sensors to be integrated and tested on various platforms including Predators and Reapers, including new signal sets, antenna improvements, sensitivity upgrades, data distribution upgrades, and new and advanced deployment capabilities. But the funding and details of these programs have gone classified since public MQ-1/MQ-9 funding disappeared in FY ‘16.
The U.S. Army’s signature program has been BAE Systems’ Tactical SIGINT Payload (TSP), funded since 2001, originally planned for smaller tactical UAS such as Shadow and Fire Scout, but more recently for the Predator-derived Gray Eagle. Progress has been slow, especially for the smaller UAS, and the Army has been keeping its production options open. There will eventually be high-volume production of a SIGINT system for medium altitude long endurance UAS, but it may or may not be from BAE Systems. We include large speculative, undetermined future forecast lines.
The Navy will be watching you
In July 2011, the U.S. Navy claimed it would retire its manned airborne EP-3E Aries II SIGINT fleet in 2019-2020 and replace them with an all-unmanned fleet. However, no drone in the air today (or planned) comes anywhere near the 20,000-pound payload capacity of the four-engine EP-3E, and for years the Navy had no major public UAS SIGINT program other than Sierra Nevada Corp.’s AN/ZLQ-1 Merlin-MC electronic support measures suite, planned to be a small component of the MQ-4C Triton UAS’ multi-INT sensor suite, alongside the MFAS radar and EO/IR.
Instead, Teal Group has become increasingly convinced of major classified UAS SIGINT developments by the Navy, including what we now dub the Future Triton SIGINT Suite, likely to be bought for a limited number of Tritons.
Germany gave indications in 2016 of purchasing three MQ-4C Tritons to carry Airbus Defence & Space’s already-developed ISIS (Integrated SIGINT System) sensor from the canceled Global Hawk “Euro Hawk” SIGINT program, with the procurement finally approved in March 2017. We now believe the U.S. Navy (or possibly the Air Force) is likely developing a similar all-SIGINT high-altitude-long-endurance UAS, and Triton would be the obvious platform to use, as it is approaching certification for use in civilian airspace. Yes, this means it will also monitor civilians — probably why the Department of Defense wants to keep it classified.
Mini/Nano and UCAV EA
Much as Teal Group forecasts for the UAV EO/IR sensor market (see the first article in this series), classified combat UCAV and mini/nano-UAV markets will provide the biggest growth markets in the out-years of our forecast. But the SIGINT component of this growth will remain relatively steady, even when including speculative classified funding forecasts.
Instead, the electronic attack market for suppression of enemy air defenses and strike UCAVS will see major funding and grow from a small market today to the dominant market next decade. This will be something of a shift back to traditional EW funding — manned-equivalent systems and funding for air strike missions versus near-peer opponents such as Russia or China. Most of these programs will undoubtedly remain classified, but our funding forecasts in line with legacy manned EA programs will lead the UAV EA market to grow from $70 million in FY ‘17 to $534 million in FY ‘26.
Much classified
With ASIP the dominant SIGINT system in service, Northrop Grumman will continue to lead the contracted UAV SIGINT market for several years. BAE Systems has so far won all U.S. Army TSP production, but funding has been minor with continuing delays, and future production is still uncertain. On the other hand, BAE is likely to earn a good share of our “available” SIGINT forecasts, with a massive $7.9 billion still available (or classified) from FY ‘17 to FY ‘26, and BAE should remain a viable competitor to Northrop Grumman.
Perhaps surprisingly, Raytheon leads our 10-year funding share forecast, due mostly to its contracted development of the Next Generation Jammer, a platform-agnostic EA system whose first production platform will likely be a SEAD/strike UCAV despite public plans for the manned EA-18G Growler.
Aside from Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, there are today no obvious competitors for major U.S. UAS SIGINT programs. But this is probably because so many programs are classified and competitors are unknown, rather than a lack of competition. Despite our large speculative “other” forecast for already-contracted but unknown prime contractors, our “available” funding forecast will grow to an average of 62 percent of the UAV SIGINT & EA market annually from FY ‘22 through FY ‘26, worth about $1 billion each year.
Below: The StarLite Tactical Radar, part of Northrop Grumman's SAR market dominance. Photo: Northrop Grumman
Army unit begins testing Arcturus UAS as service ponders Shadow replacement
The U.S. Army has begun evaluating tactical unmanned aircraft systems intended to replace the venerable RQ-7 Shadow drone, which has been in service since the early 2000s.
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division conducted the first soldier-operated flight on April 7, flying an Arcturus Jump 20, a 210-pound aircraft with an 18-foot wingspan that is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL).
It's also quieter than the Shadow.
"We’re used to screaming at each other and having to use radios in order to communicate,” Spc. Christopher McCoy, a crew chief, said in an Army press release. “You can stand right next to this aircraft and not even raise your voice."
The VTOL capability also lessens the workload, as a runway isn't needed and "we're working with half the equipment," said Spc. Nicholas Miller, an unmanned aircraft systems operator.
The Arcturus Jump 20, built by California-based Arcturus UAV, has a total payload capacity of 60 pounds, including fuel, and an endurance of up to 15 hours. Its VTOL capability is provided by four engines located on wing spars, and it can be converted to catapult launch as well, according to the company.
The soldiers of the "Devil Brigade" will operate the Jump 20 over the next five months as a surrogate for their RQ-7 Shadow, performing similar tasks. The evaluation is continuing amid the Covid-19 crisis, with the Army following CDC and DOD guidelines to prevent coronavirus spread.
Other Army units will operate the competing UAS systems, the Martin V-Bat, Textron Aerosonde HQ and L3 Harris FVR-90 and are sheduled to begin their evaluations in coming months. Another unit will operate a second Arcturus vehicle.
Below: Spc. Nicholas Miller conducts flight operations through a laptop-based ground control station during the FTUAS capabilities assessment at Fort Riley, Kansas, April 8. Photo: Program Executive Office Aviation
Boeing unveils newest unmanned platform designed for global defense customers
Boeing has introduced the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, which is the company’s newest unmanned platform.
According to Boeing, the Boeing Airpower Teaming System is the company's largest investment in a new unmanned aircraft program outside the United States, as the platform was designed by Boeing Australia for global customers.
Boeing says that the unmanned platform will have a number of capabilities. Measuring 38 feet long, the Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide fighter-like performance, as it will be able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles.
The UAS will also be able to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and electronic warfare, thanks to the integration of sensor packages onboard. Additionally, the UAS will be able to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft by using artificial intelligence.
“This aircraft is a historic endeavor for Boeing. Not only is it developed outside the United States, it is also designed so that our global customers can integrate local content to meet their country-specific requirements,” explains Marc Allen, president, Boeing International.
“The Boeing Airpower Teaming System provides a transformational capability in terms of defense, and our customers – led by Australia – effectively become partners on the program with the ability to grow their own sovereign capabilities to support it, including a high-tech workforce.”
During the Australian International Airshow, a model of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System was unveiled.
As a research and development activity, the Australian Government and Boeing will produce a concept demonstrator called the Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program, which will be used to provide important learnings toward the production of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System.
“The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces’ manned/unmanned missions,” says Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems.
“With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing’s portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.”
The first flight of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System is expected to take place in 2020.
Military moving fast to field advanced technology, speakers say
The U.S. military is committed to moving faster to get high technology into the field, according to several speakers at the opening day of AUVSI Unmanned Systems Defense. Protection. Security in Maryland.
“We need new unmanned systems, fast,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command.
The USMC is going back to its early days of being a highly experimental command, Walsh said, resurrecting its Sea Dragon series of exercises and putting a variety of off-the-shelf systems into demonstrations to see how they fare.
Last May, for instance, the Marine Corps brought more than 100 systems to the beach at Camp Pendleton to explore new ways of getting to the beach. The arsenal included small quadcopters, small ground robots, larger ground robots and maritime systems, some for reconnaissance, some of them armed.
“The first 20 minutes of what we were seeing was all unmanned,” Walsh said. “When we started with the project, I never would have dreamed any of that, at all … this is happening so fast, it’s changing our ideas.”
For one thing, the Corps is buying small quadcopters for all its squads.
“We never had anything like that, even at the company level. We are getting one for every single squad in the Marine Corps.”
That has led to some unexpected lessons.
“We throw a lot at them and it’s not all integrated; they actually needed more Marines in the units to help them with the technology, whether it was an assistant to the squad leader or a tech manager,” Walsh said.
To help solve that problem, the USMC need systems that have greater autonomy, or at least a common controller, which would be “one way to reduce manpower.”
The commercial world
The Department of Defense is famous for its lengthy and slow acquisition process, something that typically is a turn-off to fast-moving Silicon Valley startups who are driving the very technology the military needs.
To help with that issue, in 2015 the DOD set up DIUx, an organization intended to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and the military. It’s headquartered in tech-heavy Mountain View, California, with outposts in the tech hotspots of Austin, Texas, Cambridge, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
Orin Hoffman, head of autonomy and robotics for DIUx, said he works with startups that have technology of interest to the military, but which may not be ready for venture capital dollars.
DIUx focuses on autonomy, artificial intelligence, human systems, information technology and space, although it will consider other areas as well.
It has focused on trying to solve problems by contracting for rapid prototypes, with the idea that they could move into production at a much faster pace than has been typical.
“We can go directly from this fielded prototype that’s been successful in the field, directly into production, and that’s critical for our speed,” Hoffman said.
So far, 650 companies in 41 states have competed for DIUx contracts, creating 61 pilot contracts, of which three have now made it to production.
Aaron Pierce, CEO of startup Pierce Aerospace, said the Air Force is doing something similar by teaming with startup mentor program Techstars to help shepherd small companies from concept to production.
He said the Air Force sees a “desperate need” for new technology, but the best and brightest startups avoid the defense acquisition bureaucracy.
The process is now in the “mentor madness” phase in Boston, which will lead to the companies being able to make a refined pitch. The process will start again next January, with applications due this fall.
Areas of interest include sensors, cybersecurity, new means of propulsion or power, new materials, new types of drone or drone swarm management, counter-drone technology, and a category dubbed “surprise us!”
“Surprises are the leaps,” Pierce said.
Industry is seeking to do its part as well. Patrick Weldon, director of advanced technology at Polaris, a maker of defense and commercial ground vehicles, said his company is adopting an open-architecture model to help speed the introduction of technology to the troops.
Polaris is displaying its MRZR X connected vehicle on the show’s exhibit floor. The MRZR X, developed in partnership with Applied Research Associates and Neya Systems, is an unmanned variation of Polaris’ MZRZ squad vehicle. It is among four finalists in the running for the U.S. Army’s Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) program.
Weldon said for modern warfare, the “squad is now the best source of information in combat,” and an open architecture approach will help get that technology and information there.
He noted that for the MRZR X, “the people in this room are going to make it happen. We are going to open that architecture.”
Team Polaris' MRZR X ground vehicle. Photo: AUVSI
Navy focus
The same year DIUx was created, the Navy secretary established Brig. Gen. (ret.) Frank Kelley as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (DASN) for unmanned systems, and he made his debut in that role at AUVSI’s conference that year.
At the time, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus stood onstage with a drone that could also travel underwater, a system named Kraken.
“He had a platform, a device, and that’s what we were thinking about in those days,” Kelley said. Now the program executive officers “have that stuff licked,” and the Navy grapples with other issues, such as autonomy and something even more fundamental, trust — knowing the systems will operate as advertised.
“Trust is an important issue for every single person in the department of the Navy, and I would say by extension every single person in the Department of Defense.”
Kelley said he doesn’t believe the United States is behind on autonomy and artificial intelligence, although “our approach might need to calibrate. Instead of focusing on general AI, maybe we have devices that do one or two, maybe even three things, really well, and do it routinely all the time, and then deploy that in scale … not in the hundreds, but in the thousands. I think that’s where we need to go with our autonomy.”
He noted that the Navy has a new assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition, James “Hondo” Geurts, who has called for daily 15-minute meetings with all his DASNs.
“That’s an opportunity for us, every day, to get unmanned systems in front of ASN RDA,” Kelley said. “That’s my job, to do that for you.”
Below: USMC Lt. Gen. Robert S. Walsh speaks at Unmanned Systems Defense. Protection. Security. Photo: AUVSI