Presentation Transcript

1. RPA / UAS support to Environmental Monitoring

   LtCol Peter “Pepe” LeHew AF/A2Q RPA Innovations 4 Feb 2011
2. Overview USAF RPA 101 The Triads Sample Missions Lessons Learned
3. The UAS Family of Systems LOW CAPABILITYRANGE/ENDURANCE/PAYLOAD HIGH CAPABILITY MULTI-MISSION MICRO NANO MULTI-ROLE /MULTI-SENSOR MANPORTABLE Mid-High Altitude UAS(Theater) Small UAS(Tactical) MQ-1 Predator RAVEN B Scan Eagle TIER II STUAS WASP III BATMAV MQ-9 Reaper LETHAL SUAS Under Development EXPENDABLE - ISR EXPENDABLE - LETHAL RQ-4 Global Hawk RECOVERABLE - ISR Under Development AIR-LAUNCHED (ALUAS) SUAS Operators Rated UAS Aviators
4. Pieces of the RPA Mission Aircraft OperationsManning MaintenanceManning These needs are similar to those for manned aircraft ? IntelligenceExploitation Squadron OperationsCenter Mission This is required for Recon missions GroundControlStation These needs are unique to remotely piloted aircraft CommunicationsInfrastructure &Bandwidth LaunchandRecoveryElement
5. What makes RPA unique Old “Dull, Dirty and Dangerous” mantra still valid for environment missions Turbulence Man Made disasters (CBRNE) Endurance 1 G, Zero Knot cockpit with land based comm nodes The Ground control station can provide distributed sensor data capability (streaming Video/sensor data, aircraft telemetry data (winds, outside air temp, PA, etc) Extended crew options not limited by aircraft size Remote Split Operations for smaller deployed footprint Most are not as tolerant of adverse weather as manned assets
6. Remember the Triads Who The RPA Crew Exploiters Where Supported Unit Voice Aircraft Data GCS Video What SOC GCS = Ground Control Station SOC – Squadron Operations Center
7. UASs in Civil Service “Firefighters dynamically re-located based on imagery products” (AFNORTH/CC) First operational missions of RQ-4 Global Hawk were in support of civil authorities Closed critical info gaps during California Wildfires RQ-4 infrared imagery highlighted unknown fire areas & fire lines Authorities retasked the Global Hawk as needs arose DHS (CBP) deployed an MQ-9 during Hurricane Gustav to support response and recovery efforts via streaming video
8. Haiti’s First Responder ROVER - Eagle Vision - FalconView
9. ROVER and California Fires ROVER Video posted NORTHCOM website ROVER Team FalconView Training for State Fire Chief Fire Fighter (Don Green) embedded with AFCSO Team
10. Lesson Learned = PLAN AHEAD Airspace Access Communication details C2 link, ROVER freqs, ATC, audio comm, encrypted? Getting the data (Sensor data, Aircraft wx telemetry) ROVER Network/ terrestrial options Exploiting the data - Who, how, where, what Training – CONOPs, tactics, terminology, limitations Legal – Title 10 vs 32, Posse Comitatus, Intel vs SA Prepare – equipment, websites, inject nodes, checklists
11. Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. ….Henry Ford
12. Questions ???
13. Backup Slides Current RPA Snapshot Remote-Split Operations Operations Center Ground Control Station GUI USAF RPA Specifications Ongoing RPA Enhancements Small Tactical UAS Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS)
14. Current RPA Snapshot Ramping to 65Predator and Reaper and 5 Global Hawk CAPs by FY13
15. Remote-Split Operations Ku Satellite Nellis AFB In Theater GCS Fiber Optics PPSL LOSOnly Ops Ctr Predator VideoNetwork Launch & Recovery Element Mission Control Element
16. Msn Coord Msn Coord Msn Coord Operations Center How the Missions are Managed: Operations Center Manages sortie generationand crew assignment Provides msn comm and situational awareness (SA) to mission crews Distributes video andtactical data link tracks Provides weather and intel support to msns Supports aircraft emergencies andmsn retaskings Air Crew Air Crew Air Crew Air Crew DCGS Army TOC DCGS MarineTOC DCGS SOFTOC DCGS SOFTOC Msn Coord Senior IntelManager Operations Supervisor Weather CAOC LRE
17. Ground Control Station GUI
18. USAF RPA Specifications
19. Ongoing RPA Enhancements MQ-9 Reaper Auto take-off and landing system Gorgon Stare: 1 MQ-9 = 65+ video shots Improved SAR dissemination RQ-4 Global Hawk Enhanced EO/IR cameras Enhanced synthetic aperture radars Communications relay (BACN) MQ-1 Predator Encrypted communications links Secure RVT (portable LOS video terminals) Enhanced Target Location Accuracy (TLA)
20. Small Tactical UAS Tier II STUAS Analysis of Alternatives Tactical UAS to have a TAMDAR-like WX sensor on it to provide constant WX updates while conducting its primary mission thereby providing more accurate WX information at the target area within a 360 degree area out to the maximum distance of the laser
21. Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS) The impact of UAS on the larger ISR enterprise Increment 2 Gorgon Stare Increment 1 Gorgon Stare FMV MQ-9 Wide area coverage with 10 independent ROVER queries through the GORGON STARE ground station MQ-9 Better area overage and resolution with at least 10 independent ROVER queries through the GORGON STARE ground station MQ-1 Observe single target Single ROVER / OSRVT Today