March 17, 2023 | International, C4ISR
US Army consolidates network modernization efforts into single office
The shift in responsibility coincides with the U.S. Army’s pursuit of a unified network, linking in-the-field with back-at-home.
December 9, 2020 | International, Naval
The US Navy wants to find ships to kill using aerial drones launched from submarines
By: David B. Larter
WASHINGTON – The name of the game in the Pacific is stand-off range. But with longer range torpedoes and anti-ship missiles in the arsenal, submariners are looking to a new domain to help them extend their deadly reach: The air.
In an October request for information, Naval Sea Systems Command's Submarine Combat and Weapons Control Program Office asked industry for input into a “Submarine-Launched Unmanned Aerial System,” or SLUAS, currently in development.
The Navy has been interested in sub-launched drones for some time and has been testing prototypes, but the RFI shows the service is getting serious about the idea as it adds longer-range torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles to the arsenal of its attack submarines.
The idea for the SLUAS is an ambitious one.
The drone would launch from a submerged submarine out of a 3-inch ejector tube used for sonobuoys, flares and countermeasures among other things. The battery-operated UAS would then deploy its wings and operate for an hour, well beyond the range visible from just the low-in-the-water periscope.
Additionally, the UAS should have an “electro-optic capability with reliable target solution analysis,” the RFI said, adding that it should be able to “operate at ranges out to the line-of-sight radio horizon, and use a variable bandwidth encrypted datalink with at least 256-bit encryption strength.
The drone should also have a degree of autonomy and “include the ability to operate in an emission-controlled environment and operate without constant radio communication links.”
“Every submarine has a 3-inch launcher, so in theory, every submarine could operate with UASs,” said Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and senior fellow with The Hudson Institute. “The idea is that you would be about the size of a sonobuoy — it could be pretty long — and you'd put it inside a canister. Then you launch this in a canister, it floats to the surface and the USA deploys from there.
“And from there it can either connect up with the submarine or it could connect with another unit, and it gives you the ability to have over-the-horizon surveillance.”
“The demonstrations have been pretty successful,” Clark added.
The responses to the RFI were due in November.
On the same subject
-
-
December 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace
MD helicopters secures $34 Million Army contract
Mesa, Ariz., December 3, 2020 - MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announces an agreement with the U.S. Army worth about $34 million to provide logistics support for the Afghanistan Air Force MD 530F Cayuse Warrior light attack and reconnaissance helicopter fleet. The deal is a continuation of MDHI's contractor logistics support (CLS) with the U.S. Army and Multi-National Aviation Special Project Office (MASPO) for the fleet. Under the terms of the contract, MDHI will provide maintenance, repairs, updates, and overhauls of the aircraft in Mesa, Arizona, and Kabul, Afghanistan. The estimated completion date for all work is May 31, 2021. “This contract illustrates the Army's and MASPO's continued confidence in MD Helicopters' ability to successfully manage our CLS contract,” says Nick Nenadovic, Vice President of Aftermarket and Customer Support for MD Helicopters, Inc. “We have delivered 60 aircraft to the Afghan Air Force and we maintain a vested interest in ensuring the highest level of support to keep the entire fleet mission ready.” The enhanced MD 530F Cayuse Warrior is a light armed attack helicopter revered for its power, safety, speed, agility, and unparalleled confined area capabilities. The aircraft supports a wide range of training and operational missions, providing safe, efficient multi-mission support with an increased performance profile. View source version on MD Helicopters, Inc. : https://www.mdhelicopters.com/md-helicopters-secures-$34-million-army-contract.html
-
April 28, 2024 | International, Aerospace
Defense Innovation Unit moves to ease commercial drone certifications
DIU wants to improve its process for vetting commercial drones, with the goal of making it easier for companies to sell their systems to the U.S. military.