By Geoff Fein
The Navy is looking to demonstrate autonomous refueling of its planned Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS), according to a presolicitation notice published earlier this month.
According to the Federal Business Opportunities notice (N0001908UCASD01), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to contract on a sole source basis with Northrop Grumman [NOC] to modify the company’s X-47B UCAS contract to support demonstration of an autonomous aerial refueling (AAR) capability by 2013.
“The X-47B air vehicle is the only relevant carrier suitable unmanned air system in existence capable of demonstrating AAR. Further, the X-47B design is capable of accommodating both [Navy]-style and [Air Force]-style refueling physical and electronic interfaces required for AAR including a capability to accept fuel. [Northrop Grumman], as the sole designer, developer and manufacturer of the X-47B, is the only responsible source with the requisite knowledge, technical expertise and experience capable of satisfying the government’s needs by 2013 within the allocated budget,” according to the solicitation.
The primary goal of the Navy UCAS program is risk reduction of critical technologies needed to support a future milestone decision. The AAR demonstration for the Navy UCAS-D stems largely from that goal, Capt. Martin Deppe, Navy UCAS program manager, said in a statement.
“The intent is to leverage ongoing Air Force and Navy technology development work associated with AAR and UCAS-D in order to achieve a relevant unmanned air system (UAS) AAR demonstration,” Deppe said. “Incorporating this AAR demonstration into the UCAS-D program takes advantage of previous and current work to include the aerial refueling and precision GPS provisions in the CV suitable X-47B air vehicle design.
The Navy has not yet decided to procure an operational UCAS system beyond the demonstration but, from a theoretical perspective, incorporating AAR capability into a carrier- based UAS unleashes an ability to exploit the range and persistence potential of an unmanned system by allowing it to remain airborne much longer than the limits of human endurance, according to Deppe.
“That said, a refuelable UAS launching from the carrier flight deck could significantly increase the standoff of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) from potential anti-access threats, allow an earlier response to emerging tasks, and significantly extend loiter time on an ISR or weapons-ready orbit thus improving the response options of warfighting commanders and the national command authorities,” he said.
“This is also in keeping with the direction of the Quadrennial Defense Review published in 2006 to ‘Restructure the Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) program and develop an unmanned longer-range carrier-based aircraft capable of being air-refueled to provide greater standoff capability, to expand payload and launch options, and to increase naval reach and persistence,'” Deppe added.