Lockheed Martin [LMT] is looking to expand the success of its persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solution comprised of a tethered aerostat and/or tower first used in Afghanistan to the worldwide market.
The persistent ISR solution, called Sentinel, is the latest member to join the company’s “Dragon” family of ISR systems. Sentinel is composed of tethered aerostats or tower systems, or both combined. Lockheed Martin Director of Airborne Reconnaissance Systems Mark Grablin told Defense Daily in a recent interview the company has 80 Sentinels deployed, mostly in Afghanistan, and is looking to expand its success.
“Of course we’re looking at the worldwide market because persistent surveillance is a fairly enduring requirement,” Grablin said about Sentinel, which the company debuted in October. “Obviously, as the more success the United States has with aerostats, the broader range of interest from our coalition partners. You can’t travel through Afghanistan without seeing aerostats.”
Lockheed Martin’s Sentinel tethered aerostats are blimp-like objects inflated with helium and connected to a ground station. Grablin said the aerostat can last up to 30 days at a time. Sentinel can also be fixed towers. No matter if it’s ground based or air based, Sentinel options may be comprised with one or more sensors and an associated ground system, according to a company statement. Persistent situational awareness is provided through the sensors integrated into the aerostat or tower, which enable customers to conduct surveillance or reconnaissance of a fixed geographic area over an extended period of time.
Grablin said one advantage of the tower, compared to the tethered aerostat, is that it may stay up for an indefinite period of time. Grablin said a drawback of the tower is that it is less mobile.
“The key thing is (Sentinel) focuses the sensors themselves and it integrates into either the command and control (C2) center within the forward operating base or…(it can) tie into the larger C2 architecture for the entire force,” Grablin said. “So it is enabled to be able to feed images or streaming video into the C2 centers and into the Navy bases for further exploitation and/or archiving.”
Grablin said Sentinel’s aerostats are not vulnerable to being shot down, adding the usual time they are actually under attack is when the aerostat itself is brought down for maintenance. Grablin said the aerostat could be flown at an altitude of 3,000 feet for a surveillance range of about 40 to 50 miles. Grablin said the aerostat is so low pressure that even though the bag may be penetrated, it will take a long time for the helium to leak out to the point it would not be able to maintain buoyancy.
“They are surprisingly durable,” Grablin said.
Grablin said the Sentinel tower could have an ISR range of approximately five miles, though he didn’t specify at which altitude.
Grablin said Sentinel is great for its applicability.
“Anywhere persistent observation is required,” Grablin said. “That’s why the border mission lends itself really well.”
Grablin said some of the different sensors that could be used on Sentinel could be electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), communications/intelligence (COM/INT), Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Blue Force Tracking (BFT). GMTI is a radar that helps distinguish a target amidst clutter. SAR is a form of radar that can obtain finer resolution than possible with conventional beam-scanning means. BFT is a Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled system that provides commanders and forces with location information about friendly and hostile forces.
Grablin said typically EO/IR is on Sentinel for video or images while radio communications availability is popular for a radio relay tower, or cell tower, at high altitude.
“It’s a very open architecture that allows you to hang whatever sensors you need to meet the requirements that need to be surveyed,” Grablin said.
Lockheed Martin’s Dragon family of ISR solutions is composed of five other systems. Dragon Scout is based on large business jet-type platforms. Dragon Shield can be encased into trailer-like containers or configured onto pallets that can be rolled on and off cargo aircraft. Dragon Star is company’s Airborne Multi-Intelligence Laboratory (AML), which addresses requirements for mid-range, multi-intelligence platforms like the Gulfstream III, Haviland D-8 or Beechcraft 350. Dragon Stare is sensor systems integrated into aircraft or pods attached to the exterior aircraft structure of manned or unmanned platforms. The Gulfstream III is developed by Gulfstream Aerospace, a division of General Dynamics [GD]. The Haviland D-8 is produced by Bombardier Aerospace, a division of Bombardier. The Beechcraft 350 is developed by Hawker Beechcraft.