KRIS OSBORN
Finding targets in milliseconds, taking off vertically amid uneven terrain while under enemy fire, networking threat specifics across an integrated series of manned and unmanned combat sensor “nodes” and possibly even delivering attack weapons are merely a few of the US Army’s intended missions for its Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (FTUAS).
The Army’s FTUAS is a fast-emerging effort to engineer a new drone able to perform helicopter-like take-off and landings, survey high threat enemy areas, process targeting data and instantly send specifics to a meshed series of platforms across a multi-domain force.
Rapid prototyping and further testing is the Army’s focus at the moment, as it surges into a new phase 2 of development for the drone, exercising options for Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems offerings. An Army essay on the FTUAS explains some of the operational advantages the new drone is expected to bring to the current and future force. Not surprisingly, vertical take-off, low acoustic signature, networking and agility are key elements of the Army’s vision for the platform.
“The FTUAS Program of Record requirements include runway independence and a rapidly deployable UAS capability. When fielded, FTUAS will provide a distinct tactical advantage over current systems due to increased maneuverability through VTOL, improved command and control supported by the on-the-move capability, a reduced transportation and logistics footprint, as well as significantly improved survivability due to reduced noise signature,” an Army essay says.
Army Manned-Unmanned System History
There is now widespread recognition of the “loyal wingman” manned-unmanned teaming drone phenomenon wherein manned fighter jets operate nearby drones from the cockpit, a development which increases mission flexibility, reduces latency and massively information processing and targeting. One such example of this can be seen in the fast-evolving Air Force Research Lab program called Valkryie, an autonomous, AI-enabled drones which has flown without human intervention and, during testing, exchanged data in flight with an F-35. More recently, many are also likely familiar with the Air Force’s Combat Collaborative Aircraft program now supporting the service’s airborne Next Generation Air Dominance. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has said each NGAD aircraft will operate as part of a “family of systems,” meaning it will fly in close coordination with a small group of CCA drones. Kendall cited this “family of systems” operational concept several years ago as part of the service’s “operational imperatives.” The CCAs will need to be expandable to a larger degree, and therefore lower cost, as they need to operate in high-threat areas and test enemy air defenses, blanket hostile areas with surveillance and even deliver weapons if directed by a human operator.
These evolving Air Force programs which increasingly call upon greater levels of autonomy and AI-enabled data processing, were “preceded” to a certain extent with the US Army’s manned-unmanned teaming effort which emerged in Afghanistan roughly 15-years ago. This involved Apache and Kiowa aircraft operating with an ability to control drones directly from the cockpit. At one point, the program was called VUIT-2 before it evolved in what the Army referred to as various levels of “manned-unmanned teaming.” The most advanced application of the Army’s manned-unmanned teaming years ago, called Level IV, involved an ability for pilots to control both the flight path and sensor payload of a nearby Shadow or Grey Eagle drone. This program, which war commanders have said proved extremely impactful in Afghanistan, arguably set a precedent or help forge subsequent pathways for technological progression. Certainly in terms of an operational concept and tactical operation, it appears the Army’s long-standing “manned-unmanned” teaming technology may have influenced the Air Force’s “loyal wingman” Valkyrie and CCA programs.
Several years ago, an Army Colonel who had deployed with this “manned-unmanned” teaming ability in Afghanistan in an Apache, told Warrior helicopter crews were able to identify and finalize targets for their attack helicopters even before taking off for a mission.
Future Drone AI & Autonomy
All of this is part of the technological foundation upon which the Army is now evolving its FTUAS effort, which is expected to introduce new levels of autonomy, data-processing and unmanned-unmanned teaming. Autonomy has grown to the point wherein small, forward operating mini-drones called Air Launched Effects (ALE) can find target detail in high-risk enemy areas and autonomously send time-sensitive specifics back to a larger unmanned system which will then transmit data to manned rotary and fixed wing platforms, command and control centers and even armored ground vehicles on the move. Progression with these technologies has been rapid, as ALE were operated with great effect as far back as Project Convergence 2020. During this breakthrough exercise in Yuma, Arizona in September, 2020, mini-drone ALE were able to find and transmit target details to larger unmanned systems and ground control stations where an AI-empowered computer system called Firestorm gathered, processed, and analyzed the target information in milliseconds. Using high speed computer algorithms, Firestorm was able to quickly recommend optimal weapons, shooters or effectors for a given threat scenario or target based on rapid analysis of a number of variables. Incoming data is bounced off of a vast data base to identify threats, incorporate past circumstances and identify or recommend the best course of action to human commanders. Overall, Project Convergence demonstrated paradigm-changing Army breakthroughs by shortening sensor-to-shooter time from 20-mins to 20-seconds. ALE and FTUAS are intended to surge this technology further into the future with further upgrades as they become available.
Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Air Systems, Textron Systems, told Warrior that Textron’s FTUAS offering was engineered to evolve with open standards such that its payload systems and data processing can accommodate new algorithms, technologies, interfaces and software upgrades as they become available. This includes a progressing ability to perform data-processing and analytics at the “point of collection” using built-in computer algorithms to organize, analyze, identify and transmit data of greatest relevance to the mission objective. Part of this also pertains to new sensing technology, as higher-fidelity, longer-range sensors continue to arrive in smaller form factors to optimize ISR and reduce any hardware footprint. Textron’s FTUAS, for instance, has been engineered to rapidly accommodate new upgrades with sensing, computing and AI-empowered algorithms. Not surprisingly, Textron’s strategy is intended to align with the Army’s, as it relies upon the often referred to “open architecture approach.” An Army essay on FTUAS says weapons and program developers with the service’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office says ongoing evaluations of the submissions from Textron and Griffon Aerospace will include close examination of Modular Open Systems Architecture and the extent to which a submission aligns with Army requirements.MOSA will be among several critical areas the Army will evaluate as it further tests Textrons and Griffon’s FTUAS offerings.
“These systems will undergo numerous evaluation activities such as environmental testing, electromagnetic environmental effects testing, transportability testing, MOSA verification, flight testing, and Technical Manual verification,” an Army essays says.
This makes sense given the pace of technological change, as new sensors, weapons and computing technologies are likely to keep emerging quickly, and the Army will of course want to ensure its new platform remains cutting edge for decades into the future.
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