Headquarters U.S. Air Force Air Force Unmanned Aircraft System Update Colonel Eric Mathewson Director, Air Force UAS Task Force
USAF UAS Vision A Joint approach to: Get the most out of UAS to increase joint warfighting capability, while promoting service interdependency, and the wisest use of tax dollars Requires: Optimal Joint Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Airspace Integration Resulting in Safe/Effective UAS Operations Increased Acquisition Effectiveness, Efficiency, Standardization Interoperable and Interdependent d t Joint Unmanned Systems AF objectives fully support OSD Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap 2
Current UAS Snapshot MQ-1 Predator 31 CAPs (flown from CONUS) 71 aircraft deployed 138,404 combat hours in 2008 94% increase over 2007 MQ-9 Reaper 2 CAPs (flown from CONUS) 11 aircraft deployed 12, 770 combat hours in 2008 (1 st sortie Sep 07) Fielded over 1 year early RQ-4 Global Hawk 1-2 CAPs (flown from CONUS) 3 aircraft deployed Working closely w/ USN on future development Force Objective 195 Force Objective 319 Force Objective 77 Ramping to 50 Predator and Reaper and 4 Global Hawk CAPs by FY11
Ongoing UAS Enhancements Predator: Encrypted communications links and ROVER (portable line-of-sight video terminals) Enhanced Target Location Accuracy (TLA) Reaper: JDAM integration completes this month Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS): 1 MQ-9 = 65+ video shots Global Hawk: Enhanced EO/IR cameras Communications relay ( Objective Gateway )
An Air Force with AF UAS Long-term Flight Plan Unmanned aircraft that are fully integrated across the full range of military operations UAS that use automated control and modular plug- and-play payloads to maximize combat capability, flexibility and efficiency Joint UAS solutions and teaming An informed industry and academia knowing where we are going and what technologies to invest in Capabilities-based based Air Force UAS vision thru 2047: Defines DOTMLPF way forward 5
UAS Flight Plan Assumptions Manned and unmanned systems must be integrated to increase capability across the full range of military operations for the Joint Force UAS compelling where the human is a limitation to mission success Automation is key to increasing effects, while potentially reducing cost, forward footprint and risk The desired effect is a product of the integrated system (payload, network, and PED); and less the platform UAS must be considered as viable alternative solutions Modular systems with standardized interfaces enhance adaptability, sustainability and reduce cost Robust, agile, redundant C2 enables supervisory control ( man on the loop ) DOTMLPF-P solutions are linked and must be synchronized 6
How do we get there? Methodology Identified where we are today Examined future scenarios and desired capabilities From that future perspective identified actions to get there from today Matched compelling requirements to UAS capabilities aligned with AF Core Functions Identified and sequenced DOTMLPF-P actions to enable fielding of UAS capabilities and effects 7
Air Force Core Functions Future UAS Requirements Air Force Core Functions (Ways) Capabilities (Means) Strategic Deterrence TBD Air Superiority Air-to-Air Superiority Electronic Warfare Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses Space Superiority Space Force Enhancement Space Control Space Support (including launch support) Space Force Application Cyberspace Superiority Network Operations Influence Operations Network Warfare Operations Space Control (Negation) Forensic Analysis Command and Control Global Integrated ISR Plan & Direct ISR Activities Process and Exploitation Collection Dissemination Analysis and Production Global Precision Attack Long Range Strike Close Controlled Strike* Intra-theater Strike Special Operations Specialized Air Mobility Specialized ISR** Battlefield Air Operations Specialized Aerospace Fires Aviation FID Information Operations Rapid Global Mobility Airlift Air Refueling Aeromedical Evacuation Combat Search and Rescue CSAR Humanitarian Assistance Ops Civil SAR Disaster Response Readying the Force Employing the Force Recovering the Force Agile Combat Support Preparing the Battlespace Positioning the Force Sustaining the Force Assess Strengthen Relationships Blue Currently Supporting Building Partnerships Train, Advise, Assist Obtain Support for US interests Red - Near-term shortfalls Black - Long-term potential 8
Potential Mission sets for UAS Today FY09 FY47 NANO/MICRO Small BATMAV Raven MQ-Nano NextGen transformer SUAS NextGen - Lethal Follow-on Generations of Nano/Micro/Small UAS Scan Eagle Tier II STUAS Air-Launched SUAS Medium fighter size MQ-1B MQ-9 Counterair EA/ISR/CAS SEAD/AAR-T Missile Defense MQ-Xa MQ-Xb MQ-Xc Large tanker size EO/IR/SAR RQ-4 Blk 10/20 RQ-4 Blk30 +ASIP MP-RTIP RQ-4 Blk 40 RJ/E-X C/KC-X NGLRS MQ-La MQ-Lb MQ-Lc Common GCS Special UAS MQ-LE ISR MQ L/O Hypersonic 9
MCO Architecture Future MQ-LE Collection/Info Ops Connectivity MQ-L Collection/Info Ops (AWACS/JSTARS) MQ-Hyper Sonic Strategic Attack/Prompt Global Strike MQ-L JSF/MQ-X Aerial Refueling/ Connectivity MQ-Ls EW/Collection/Info Ops CAS/Air Interdiction/Airlift Network B-2/MQ-L Teaming Strategic Attack/ CAS/Air Interdiction Kinetic & Non-kinetic Wpns F-22/MQ-X Teaming Counterair/Missile Defense Kinetic & Non-kinetic Wpns JSF/Multi Msn MQ-X Teaming Air Interdiction, CAS -- Kinetic & Non-kinetic Wpns Multi Msn MQ-L/X, SUAS - FOS Teaming ISR/EW/SEAD Kinetic & Non-kinetic Wpns NAT L (JCS, NSA, NGA, DIA, etc.) JTF HQ, CAOC MCEs, DCGS SOF, ALO, TAC-P 10
An Air Force with AF UAS Long-term Flight Plan Unmanned aircraft that are fully integrated across the full range of military operations UAS that use automated control and modular plug- and-play payloads to maximize combat capability, flexibility and efficiency Joint UAS solutions and teaming An informed industry and academia knowing where we are going and what technologies to invest in Capabilities-based based Air Force UAS vision thru 2047: Defines DOTMLPF way forward 11
BACK-UP 12
CENTCOM ISR Coverage 120000 110000 100000 2008 90000 80000 70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 Between 2001 and 2008 ISR Hours are up 1431% 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Global Hawk U-2 Rivet Joint JSTARS Predator/Reaper