The
Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is still in
the primary testing stages but is currently used as a demonstration
UCAV promoting operations aboard an aircraft carrier. The X-47 is
currently being tested for missions including: aerial refueling,
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions using a
compliment of sensors (Northrop Grumman Corporation - Aerospace Systems,
2012). For the near future, the vehicle is currently only being used as
a platform for follow-on evaluations by the U.S. Navy (USN) for UAV
operational capabilities at sea, predominantly the in-flight refueling
mission for manned aircraft (Holmes, 2015). In terms of autonomous
operations, the vehicle is capable of performing takeoff and landing
sequences successfully aboard a pitching and rolling aircraft carrier
deck, as well as performing combat maneuvers with an F-18E aircraft
(Northrop Grumman Corporation - Aerospace Systems, 2012).
When discussing the military applications of UAS, initially the MQ-9 Reaper, GlobalHawk, MQ-1C Grey Eagle, or MQ-1 Predator supporting the ISR and close air support (CAS) missions may come to mind. However, there are very few Navy applications of UAS currently serving the same tasks provided by the United States Air Force, especially when considering the operating conditions and maritime environments that the Navy would require a UAV. Additionally, generating an automated-task completion matrix or autonomous action library of which to draw conclusions and flight maneuvers based on sensory inputs to land on a moving ship would be extremely complicated (Dillow, 2013). Use of multiple sensor types such as synthetic aperture RADAR (SAR), inverted synthetic aperture RADAR (ISAR), electro-optical (EO) and infrared sensors, and electronic support measures (ESM) allow for a multitude of mission areas available to the X-47 (Holmes, 2015). The margin for error is low and the risks considering the flight deck size, location and introduction of uncalculated variables for such a system design are high. Continuous experimentation and exposure of UAV’s such as the X-47B to the ever-changing maritime environment and complex interactions between manned/unmanned aircraft is crucial for future improvements and mainstream design leading to production (Dillow, 2013).
Moreover, providing an appropriate level of human interfaces to allow for maximum controllability and situational awareness will be key in terms of adaptability/flexibility for this UAV when changing operating environments and external influences by which to react. Having a platform that provides insight into these development characteristics, and has the inherent mission of adapting to different environmental conditions and operational demands makes for a very unique unmanned system available to all services.
There are similar designs in terms of research-driven platforms that are intended for commercial use to perform UAV test and evaluation (T&E), one such design is the modified commercial BirdsEyeView Aerobotics FireFLY6 vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) UAV called “Elissa” (Norris, 2016). This research UAV is a joint effort by NASA and the Airforce Research Laboratory (AFRL), and is meant to test and evaluate the variables associated with plans to develop an aircraft labeled “Traveler”; this aircraft is designed to plan, launch, navigate and refuel itself autonomously (Norris, 2016). Currently, “Elissa” is testing the capability of the auto-air collision avoidance system (AUTOCAS) in order to safely deconflict with other aircraft should RADAR follow-on and controllers fail to prevent a potential mid-air collision (Norris, 2016). It is the objective of this post to highlight the importance of dedicated UAV T&E platforms, and how they are crucial for the future success of UAV platforms for both commercial and military missions.
References:
Dillow, C. (2013, July 5). What The X-47B Reveals About the Future Of Autonomous Flight. Popular Science Magazine Online, Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-05/five-things-you-need-know-about-x-47b-and-coming-era-autonomous-flight
Holmes, J. (2015, May 6). The Mighty X-47B: Is It Really Time for Retirement? The National Interest Magazine Online, Retrieved from http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-mighty-x-47b-it-really-time-retirement-12818.
Norris, G. (2016, March 28). NASA’s Traveler to Demo ‘Trustworthy’ UAS Autonomy. Aviation & Space Technology NewsWeek. Retrieved from http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/nasa-s-traveler-demo-trustworthy-uas-autonomy.
Northrop Grumman Corporation - Aerospace Systems. (2012). X-47B Navy UCAS - Unmanned Combat Air System. Retrieved from Northrop Grumman Corporation, https://web.archive.org/web/20100331204427/http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/assets/UCAS-D_DataSheet_final.pdf
When discussing the military applications of UAS, initially the MQ-9 Reaper, GlobalHawk, MQ-1C Grey Eagle, or MQ-1 Predator supporting the ISR and close air support (CAS) missions may come to mind. However, there are very few Navy applications of UAS currently serving the same tasks provided by the United States Air Force, especially when considering the operating conditions and maritime environments that the Navy would require a UAV. Additionally, generating an automated-task completion matrix or autonomous action library of which to draw conclusions and flight maneuvers based on sensory inputs to land on a moving ship would be extremely complicated (Dillow, 2013). Use of multiple sensor types such as synthetic aperture RADAR (SAR), inverted synthetic aperture RADAR (ISAR), electro-optical (EO) and infrared sensors, and electronic support measures (ESM) allow for a multitude of mission areas available to the X-47 (Holmes, 2015). The margin for error is low and the risks considering the flight deck size, location and introduction of uncalculated variables for such a system design are high. Continuous experimentation and exposure of UAV’s such as the X-47B to the ever-changing maritime environment and complex interactions between manned/unmanned aircraft is crucial for future improvements and mainstream design leading to production (Dillow, 2013).
Moreover, providing an appropriate level of human interfaces to allow for maximum controllability and situational awareness will be key in terms of adaptability/flexibility for this UAV when changing operating environments and external influences by which to react. Having a platform that provides insight into these development characteristics, and has the inherent mission of adapting to different environmental conditions and operational demands makes for a very unique unmanned system available to all services.
There are similar designs in terms of research-driven platforms that are intended for commercial use to perform UAV test and evaluation (T&E), one such design is the modified commercial BirdsEyeView Aerobotics FireFLY6 vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) UAV called “Elissa” (Norris, 2016). This research UAV is a joint effort by NASA and the Airforce Research Laboratory (AFRL), and is meant to test and evaluate the variables associated with plans to develop an aircraft labeled “Traveler”; this aircraft is designed to plan, launch, navigate and refuel itself autonomously (Norris, 2016). Currently, “Elissa” is testing the capability of the auto-air collision avoidance system (AUTOCAS) in order to safely deconflict with other aircraft should RADAR follow-on and controllers fail to prevent a potential mid-air collision (Norris, 2016). It is the objective of this post to highlight the importance of dedicated UAV T&E platforms, and how they are crucial for the future success of UAV platforms for both commercial and military missions.
References:
Dillow, C. (2013, July 5). What The X-47B Reveals About the Future Of Autonomous Flight. Popular Science Magazine Online, Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-05/five-things-you-need-know-about-x-47b-and-coming-era-autonomous-flight
Holmes, J. (2015, May 6). The Mighty X-47B: Is It Really Time for Retirement? The National Interest Magazine Online, Retrieved from http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-mighty-x-47b-it-really-time-retirement-12818.
Norris, G. (2016, March 28). NASA’s Traveler to Demo ‘Trustworthy’ UAS Autonomy. Aviation & Space Technology NewsWeek. Retrieved from http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/nasa-s-traveler-demo-trustworthy-uas-autonomy.
Northrop Grumman Corporation - Aerospace Systems. (2012). X-47B Navy UCAS - Unmanned Combat Air System. Retrieved from Northrop Grumman Corporation, https://web.archive.org/web/20100331204427/http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/assets/UCAS-D_DataSheet_final.pdf
Anthony
ReplyDeleteThe X-47B is an amazing vehicle, the successful trials of this vehicle hopefully will soften attitudes about the safety and airworthiness of UAS in general. Not only can this vehicle land autonomously on a pitching and rolling deck of an aircraft carrier, a feat that is difficult for most human pilots, it can also air refuel autonomously and has, as of 2015, successfully passed the test for doing that (Northrop Grumman, 2015). This again another feat that is also a challenge for some of the most skillful pilots. Looking at these achievements, which are amazing in and of itself, one would wonder what more testing needs to be done to fully integrate these vehicles into the Navy’s arsenal of shipboard military aircraft.
The Navy’s role in developing military UAS has been slow based upon the very idea that you mentioned and that is providing for aircraft that can operate on board ship and at sea. Development in this area requires creating vehicles that can withstand the harshness of a marine environment which has been no easy task. The Navy is however realizing the full potential of UAS operations as a more economical and viable means in future air operations. The Navy has started reducing its fleet of manned ISR platforms and looks to replace some of these aircraft with unmanned versions. Platforms such as the P-3 Orion, the EP-3 Aries ea-3a Shadows and organic shipboard platforms such as the F-14 Tomcat will be reduced or eliminated (Unmanned Naval Sys, 2013). Again, the continued successful testing associated with the X-47B should provide a wealth of data in the development of these other systems that you mentioned. The Navy is downsizing across the board in an effort to streamline operations and provide more with less. These new unmanned platforms, should they prove successful, will provide them with the capability of doing that while still being able to maintain a strong naval presence around the world.
References
Northrop Grumman. (2015). X-47B UCAS Makes Aviation History…Again! Northrop Grumman. Retrieved from: http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/X47BUCAS/Pages/default.aspx
Unmanned ISR and Future Air Wing Composition. (2013). Unmanned Naval Systems. Retrieved from: http://blog.navaldrones.com/2013/01/unmanned-isr-and-future-air-wing.html (Links to an external site.)
_Carl Butler