UAV Roadmap 2000 - Section 6.0
Roadmap
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endurance metrics seek to provide 20-, 30-, and 40-percent increases in flight endurance
by equivalent improvements in specific fuel consumption (SFC) for a given engine type
and constant fuel weight. Figure 4.1.2-1 predicts these increases should be attainable,
due to such efforts as the AFRL’s Versatile, Affordable, Advanced Turbine Engine
(VAATE) program, by 2005, 2010, and 2015 respectively. These percentages equate to
20-, 30-, and 40-percent more time on station for the same number of deployed aircraft
used today, helping address the coverage shortfall identified by the majority of the
CINCs. The signature metric, driven by the CINCs’ priorities for enhancing force
protection, is to provide a UAV that is inaudible from 1000 ft, and ideally from 500 ft,
slant range to preclude detection by base intruders. Figure 4.1.2-2 anticipates the mass
specific power of fuel cell-powered engines will equal or exceed that of noisy internal
combustion engines by 2004, enabling their use in fielding a silent airborne sentry.
To illustrate future payload opportunities, resolution metrics for EO/IR sensors
and SARs were developed. Based on a recurring scenario in many theaters—an embassy
or non-combatant evacuation from a foreign city—CINCs need a standoff sensor to avoid
both further inciting the local populace and/or being downed by MANPADs (e.g., SA-
7/14) with maximum ranges of up to 4 nm. Such sensors should be capable of
distinguishing armed from unarmed persons, and, ideally, identifying specific
individuals. The former capability requires video imagery with a GRD of 4-8 in, NIIRS
8, and an instantaneous field of view of 0.014 mrad; the latter requires a 2-4 in GRD,
NIIRS 9, and a 0.007 mrad IFOV. Figure 4.2.2-1 predicts that improved focal plane
arrays could enable today’s gimbaled EO/IR sensor turrets to reach these levels of
resolution by 2002 and 2005, respectively. For area searches, today’s best SARs can
image the equivalent of a 10 nm wide swath at 12 in resolution. The metrics chosen are
to halve this resolution (6 in), then halve it again (3 in) for the same swath width, then to
double the swath width covered to 20 nm and again achieve 6 and 3 in resolution. Figure
4.2.2-2 forecasts these capabilities being fielded by 2001 (6 in), and 2005 (3 in) for 10
nm wide swaths, and by 2010 (3 in) for 20 nm wide swaths.
Advances in UAV data links were measured in terms of data rate-based metrics
needed for relaying unprocessed SIGINT and uncompressed multi-spectral imagery in
real time. Such capabilities would contribute strongly to ensuring CINCs receive ISR
information inside their opponents’ decision cycles. For SIGINT, the capability to relay
the entire COMINT spectrum or the entire ELINT spectrum was chosen. Figure 4.3-2
forecasts the communications technology for these opportunities could be fielded by
2005 and 2025+, respectively. For IMINT, the ability to relay successive 10-band multi-
spectral (MSI) at 0.16 Gb/image, 100-band hyper-spectral (HSI) at 1.6 Gb, and 1000-
band ultra-spectral imagery (USI) at 16 Gb, all at 1 sec intervals was chosen. These
levels should be reached by 2000, 2010, and 2025+, respectively. Of course any decision
to increase reliance on lasercoms would potentially allow the necessary data rates to be
achieved sooner.
Finally, metrics were developed for information processing based on CINC
prioritization of, and emerging technology in, counter mine warfare. The technology is
that of ONR’s Airborne Remote Optical Spotlight System (AROSS), which currently
employs 500 MHz processing over 48 hrs to extract images of broaching sea mines from
Predator UAV Skyball video. After optimizing AROSS’ software, this process will still
require an hour between imaging and results being available for dissemination. Using