What project 3279 buys
The Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Mission Control System (UMCS) program develops, modifies, builds, integrates, and installs control systems, afloat and ashore, required to operate the MQ-25A, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and future unmanned systems. UMCS will have to modify existing systems or develop new capabilities to support the control of different unmanned systems. With limited space on the aircraft carriers, the control station software will be modified to enable control of multiple aircraft from a single cockpit. The Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System program includes what was previously identified as the Control System & Connectivity (CS&C) and Carrier Vessel, Nuclear (CVN) Integration (CVNI) Segments previously captured under the MQ-25 Development PU 3278. The UMCS program, PU 3279, is the system-of-systems required for MQ-25 vehicle and payload control both shipboard and shore based. UMCS consists of all ground and ship-based hardware, software, and networks associated with the planning and execution of flight operations and tactical missions. In addition to the Ground Control Station (GCS), consisting of Air Vehicle Pilot (AVP) workstations and servers, the UMCS program builds hardware to support line of sight (LOS) communications, beyond line of sight (BLOS) satellite communications (SATCOM), and integration with ship/shore-based systems. There are three variants of the GCS: MD-5C (CVN-based), MD-5D (Shore-based) and MD-5E (Embarkable system) for use on CVNs that do not yet have permanent GCS systems installed. UMCS leverages existing Programs of Record for network integration and LOS/BLOS communications and builds MQ-25 unique systems (e.g. an ARC-210 based LOS communication system and a Video Management System (VidMS) for AVO situational awareness). The GCS, with a dedicated manufacturer for the core component, allows for streamlined software development, supports multiple classification levels, and positions MQ-25A interoperability with other DoW systems. Hardware development and fabrication is one facet of the program. UMCS develops and integrates software and modifies several aircraft carrier spaces to install and integrate the GCS and communication systems, in support of MQ-25A test events and operations aboard select NIMITZ Class CVNs.
- Product Development
Project 3279 funding, FY2025–FY2031
Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.
| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 14.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 65.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 0.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 0.0 |
1 accomplishment / planned program
The R-2A exhibit — the only level of the budget that describes work that has not happened yet. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only, no five-year plan. Coverage is partial across the corpus, so count activities, never total them.
FY2026 to FY2027 change To better align all Unmanned Carrier Aviation funding to the same PE, funding request in FY27 and out was moved to PE 0207255N.
FY2026 plans — current year -Conduct at sea testing of MQ-25A on CVNs B and J -Continue development of Technical Data Packages for multiple shore (MD-5D) and mobile (MD-5E) systems -Continue development of Health and Monitoring (HeMo) software -Support the integration of JPALS with the MQ-25A aircraft -Continue MD-5 software development and correction of deficiencies to support MQ-25 test events in FY26 and the First CVN Flight -Analyze requirements and begin MD-5 ancillary system design upgrades to support multi-level security; needed for CCA -Develop a mobile communications and network test kit