Unmanned Air Systems (Intel)
In support of Presidential/Department of War directives and Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Planning Guidance and Force Design Modernization, the Family of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FoSUAS) program provides Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) for battalion/company/detachment level units with scalable airborne RSTA capabilities to aid in detecting, identifying, engaging, and/or avoiding enemy units. FoSUAS meets validated operational requirements delineated in the Family of Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FoTUAS) Capability Description Document (CDD). SUAS Reusable Architecture (SRA) capability will reduce the size, weight, and manpower required to operate a SUAS, increases the mobility of the operator, and improves digital interoperability. The SRA project, a technology improvement effort, will increase interoperability, protect cyber security, and reduce cyber security risk, decrease maintenance and sustainment costs, minimize risk and cost associated with technology insertion and improvement, and reduce manpower required to operate a FoSUAS. FoSUAS is developing SRA to establish reference implementations and industry guidance for all key SUAS interfaces, drastically improving interoperability by permitting industry, government, and academia to design-to-field hardware and software capabilities with well-defined integration and cybersecurity requirements up front. In addition to accelerating payload integration, SRA will allow portability of both software and hardware-based functionality across disparate platforms and control segments, as well as enable rapid integration of both open and closed-source artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools to inject autonomy and target recognition capabilities into FoSUAS. This effort will reduce duplicative engineering, training, integration, and sustainment efforts associated with closed, proprietary systems. SRA also seeks to authorize all SRA-compliant systems under a single service accreditation in order to define, address, and mitigate security vulnerabilities at the enterprise-level in current and future platforms.
FY2027 planned work - Continue to perform analysis on system interoperability and modularity. - Execute development efforts for Small UAS with a focus on expeditionary battery storage. - Conduct technical demonstration of the Long Range Tactical (LRT) capability. - Advance the development of the Universal Common Controller (UCC) to ensure seamless interoperability across platforms.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2026 to FY 2027 increase in Product Development reflects the acceleration of development and maturation of critical SUAS capabilities outlined in the Capabilities Development Document (CDD), such as expeditionary battery storage solutions and the Unmanned Common Controller.
FY2026 plans — current year - Continue design of engineesring solutions for mandatory SUAS cyber security assessments for all SUAS systems/components. - Continue to perform analysis on system interoperability and modularity. - Continue to design engineering solutions for all new SUAS systems/components. - Continue Integration efforts for SRA.
FY2027 planned work - Programmatic and Engineering Oversight: Provide overall program management and systems engineering support for all Product Development and Test and Evaluation activities. - Engineering Assessments and Certification: Manage all initial and recurring engineering assessments for the Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS), including cybersecurity, airworthiness, flight clearances, Authority to Operate (ATO), and battery safety certifications. - Market Research and Analysis: Conduct continuous market research and engineering analysis of commercial technologies, with a specific focus on First Person View (FPV) systems, to inform future capability development and technology demonstrations. - Field User…
FY2026 to FY2027 change The FY 2026 to FY 2027 increase in support is to manage the expanded scope of development and testing necessary to meet CDD requirements. The funding provides the essential program oversight, contract management, and engineering support for the significantly more complex modernization activities planned for FY 2027 compared to the sustainment efforts of FY 2026.
FY2026 plans — current year - Continue to conduct engineering analysis of commercial systems. - Continue to conduct market research to inform future technology demonstrations. - Complete initial (on new components) and mandatory recurring engineering assessments including, but not be limited to, cyber security, air worthiness, flight clearances, authority to operate, and battery certification of FoSUAS.
- Conduct System Readiness Assessments (SRAs) and evaluate emerging UAS platforms, software, payloads, and ancillary components for the Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS). - Perform third-party cybersecurity and compliance testing to meet National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and DoW drone policy requirements. - Test and validate M-Code…
Read the FY2027 plan →