USAF looking for heavy lift UCAV's in 2007

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report


Fleet Of 'Hunter/Killer' Planes Would See Initial Use In FY '07
By Rich Tuttle 07/29/2004 09:21:30 AM


The U.S. Air Force is asking industry for input on the idea of procuring a fleet of as many as 60 "hunter/killer remotely operated aircraft" that would fly 30-hour unmanned missions of up to 50,000 feet with 3,000 pounds of bombs.

The first would become operational by late fiscal year 2007. Each air vehicle would cost about $10 million. Responses to a request for information are due Aug. 25.

"The timelines are driven primarily by the global war on terrorism and the need to rapidly field supportable, affordable capabilities that are effective, flexible, and responsive to a quickly changing world situation," said a July 22 FedBizOpps notice from the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

"The Department of Defense has been engaged in advanced uses of the large class of unmanned aircraft, in both remotely piloted and essentially autonomous forms for the last decade," the notice said. "Some of these activities have resulted in the Air Force adopting several demonstrated capabilities in support, initially, of extended range and endurance ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], and, more recently, in coupling self-weapon delivery capabilities to capitalize on ISR detection/identification.

"These new capabilities enable an unmanned air vehicle system to provide persistent ISR coverage of the battle area and prosecute attack, as necessary, on time sensitive and/or fleeting targets," the notice said.

"Following these successes," it continued, "the Air Force has been engaged in fielding several systems and is now interested in exploring what further advancements may be possible. Capabilities desired should provide the ability to operate at extended distances ... with an effective and flexible payload (a variety of laser guided and Global Positioning System (GPS) guided munitions, for example)."

The Hunter/Killer ROA would fly at 35,000 to 50,000 feet for "extended periods of time," from 16 hours to 30 hours or more, while carrying an external payload of at least 3,000 pounds.

Payload

At a minimum, the payload must include four GBU-12 500-pound laser-guided bombs, or four GBU-38 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), or a mix of both, totaling four. The vehicle also would carry such sensors as synthetic aperture radar; ground moving target indicator radar; forward looking infrared system; daylight and night electro-optical devices; a laser ranging and designation system, "and other multispectral sensors."

The vehicle must be able to transfer information and imagery to ground centers by line of sight and global beyond line of sight, "and provide a means for positive navigation and command and control ... throughout its operating envelope and in any operational environment likely to be encountered."

It will "be deployable for worldwide operations, capable of launch and recovery from a bare base, and include appropriate command and control links to operate a deployed aircraft from a fixed site (including CONUS)," the notice said.

It may be made up of currently available or emerging products, modified current products, nondevelopmental items (NDI) and government furnished equipment (GFE), the notice said.

"For planning purposes, an initial capability will be needed for operational use by the end of FY '07 with follow-on quantities possibly reaching up to 60 aircraft with associated command and control systems."

Flyaway cost of the air vehicle itself "must be approximately $10 million, or less," the notice said. The cost of a system - two aircraft, one ground station, one launch and recovery station and support equipment - "must be approximately $30 million, or less."
 
Top