Innovative Naval Prototypes (INP) Adv Tec Dev

Navy surface combatants have Capability/capacity gaps to defend against high volume attacks in Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD). The objective of METEOR is to demonstrate tactically significant, non-kinetic, High Power Microwave (HPM) payload integration onto Naval platforms to defeat, track, engage and assess operational threats while assessing integrated sensors and weapon control options. The METEOR HPM weapon development will provide capability with low cost-per-shot, deep magazine, tactically significant range, short time engagement for multi-target approach, dual deception and defeat capability. This Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) will assess the military utility of a ship-based Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) HPM weapon, to develop performance requirements via effects and lethality studies, to evaluate current HPM prototype hardware for those requirements, and to mature promising HPM technologies. To assess military utility as part of layered defense in stressing scenarios, METEOR will quantify effectiveness against priority threats, evaluate Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) techniques, and perform mission modeling.

The High Energy Laser Counter ASCM Project (HELCAP) will expedite the development, experimentation, integration and demonstration of critical technologies to defeat crossing Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM) by addressing the remaining technical challenges, e.g.: atmospheric turbulence, automatic target identification and aim point selection, precision target tracking with low jitter in high clutter conditions, advanced beam control, and higher power HEL development. HELCAP will assess, develop, experiment, and demonstrate the various laser weapon system technologies and methods of implementation required to defeat ASCMs in a crossing engagement. HELCAP activities in this project (0603801N) include technology assessments, laser lethality investigations, and advanced beam control. Component and Subsystem level operability is being conducted under this project specifically the Beam Control subsystem including active tracking and advanced atmospheric compensation using Adaptive Optics. The Beam Director subsystem testing will occur in a simulated environment (land based) against surrogate ASCM targets. Other subsystems being developed and tested under this project include the automated engagement sequencing, HEL targets and diagnostics subsystems, and an HEL interface compatible with a range of competing HEL source technologies. This project passes technology to follow on HELCAP activities under Program Element (PE) 0603925N Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems.

Complex multi-domain threats can overwhelm the operator and individual platforms ability to defend the force. The ELEKTRA INP effort is developing "Human on the Loop" Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled algorithms to perform force level kinetic/non-kinetic kill chain optimization and coordination across multiple domains at machine to machine speeds to increase the lethality and survivability of the Force. ELEKTRA will demonstrate AI/ML ability to coordinate kinetic/non kinetic effects autonomously with heterogeneous platforms, the ability to operate in degraded environments for hours and the ability to coordinate and execute domain kill chains simultaneously. It will deploy artificial intelligent (AI) and machine learning (ML) architecture, neural networked computing and large data handling to enable real time, force level effects assignment, coordination and resource management. The Activity identified in Project Unit 3452 specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the ELEKTRA INP effort.

The need to operate in a multiple domain environment against highly capable peers requires improved decision quality and reduced decision timelines. MINERVA will develop AI and Machine-Learning (ML) capabilities to improve mission planning, intelligence gathering, execution and assessment. Minerva will deliver next-generation decision aids by combining operations research with emerging AI capabilities to create learning, self-adaptive automation that supports Composite Warfare Commander's (CWC) and their staffs at the Fleet, Force and Group echelons. It will establish a DevOps environment that includes warfighter staffs in the development and integration of new capabilities. The Activity identified in Project Unit 3455 specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the MINERVA INP effort.

The Full Spectrum Undersea Warfare (FSUW) Project will develop new technology for offensive and defensive warfare conducted on the seabed, in the sea (i.e. subsea), and from the sea. This INP focuses on Theatre Undersea Warfare (TUSW), Joint Targeting and Strike, and Subsea and Seabed Warfare (SSW). There are five thrust areas of the FSUW INP that are key to enabling Chief of Naval Operations Guidance (CNOG), Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), and the Commandant's Stand in Force with manned and unmanned warfighting capability. These thrust areas were specifically chosen in direct collaboration with STRATCOM, INDO-PACOM, Fleet and Undersea Warfare Commanders and validated with regular Flag engagements. These advanced technology developments will enable future undersea weapon systems (e.g., Maritime Strike Tomahawk and ADCAP variants), COCOM campaign, and operational plans. FSUW thrust areas include 1) Undersea effectors, 2) Integrated expeditionary subsea system of systems, 3) Multi-Vehicle Torpedo Tube Development System (MVTTDS) for payload A, 4) Undersea UAV for Over-The-Horizon (OTH) effects and 5) Undersea Launched Devices to enable Commanding Officers and Regional Combatant Commander effects. The thrust areas are technically an operational interconnected. Selected concepts from advanced research will be integrated into viable representative prototypes for field experimentation in a relevant environment. Lessons learned from field experimentation will inform continued applied research spirals to remedy technical shortcomings, expand capability, or define an alternate approach. The Activity identified in Full Spectrum Undersea Warfare, Project 3458, specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the Full Spectrum Undersea Warfare INP effort. The Applied Research Budget Activity (BA) 2 funding is in a separate Program Element (PE) 0602792N FSUW INP, Project 3456. Information security concerns preclude fully detailed descriptions of project efforts, research activities, and technology development plans. Specific information on each project and activity will be provided separately to the Congressional oversight committees.

Long Range Targeting emphasizes the specific naval use of HF Over the Horizon Radar (OTHR) on maritime platforms and forward-based positive identification technologies to fill gaps in long-range fires kill chains. Technologies within this activity will enable integrated long range naval fires. Investments include technologies for OTH radar antennas, HF antenna arrays, signal processing, and electronic surveillance. Activity identified in Project Unit 3457 specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the LRT INP effort.

Swarming is a concept that allows for multi-domain, heterogeneous swarms of unmanned systems capable of rendering the counter's ability to scale either inadequate or irrelevant and includes offensive and defensive operations, own and adversarial employment, and a physical battlespace ranging from open ocean to ashore. The Super Swarm (SS) INP effort will develop an autonomous control system for multiple USV's consisting of cooperative task allocation, cooperative route planning/behaviors and shared situational awareness. The Swarm autonomy technology is leveraged by other programs including the Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MDUSV) and the Autonomous USV FNC program. It will consist of the employment of sustainable large-scale robotic swarm warfare across all domains ahead of our adversaries to obviate costly and vulnerable legacy platforms and to gain a competitive advantage. The Activity identified in Project Unit 3459 specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the Super Swarm INP effort.

The rising use of air, surface, and sub-surface unmanned and autonomous systems requires a paradigm shift in the development, production, and life-cycle management of these systems in order to gain a competitive advantage against adversarial capabilities as well as allow for fielding of significant numbers (1000's to 10,000's) in an increasingly budget-constrained acquisition environment. The growth in rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing technologies presents an opportunity to capitalize on these advances though technical development and demonstration efforts focused on scale-up both in terms of rapid production of relevant quantities as well as greatly increasing the physical size of platforms produced far beyond what is currently achievable. Manufacturing of Autonomous Systems at Scale (MASS) efforts will utilize wide range of advanced manufacturing methods combined with adaptive digital design processes with "Design for Low-Cost Platform Attriteability" as a major attribute to avoid the platform cost growths normally associated with exquisite systems development. This also represents the ability to rapidly modify platform attributes based on evolving operational needs and quickly insert into build process without costly retooling. Secondary goals focus on increasing commonality of critical components across platforms and design of these in modular fashion in order to manage supply chain vulnerability. Lastly, the project will look at ability to place manufacturing capability as far forward/afloat as possible to reduce the logistics tail and speed delivery of capability at-scale into the fleet. The activity identified in Project Unit 3461 MASS specifically addresses Advanced Technology Development in support of the MASS effort.