Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Cyber Domain

Unmanned Aircraft Systems are an integral part of the US national critical infrastructure. The authors have endeavored to bring a breadth and quality of information to the reader that is unparalleled in the unclassified sphere. This textbook will fully immerse and engage the reader / student in the cyber-security considerations of this rapidly emerging technology that we know as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The first edition topics covered National Airspace (NAS) policy issues, information security (INFOSEC), UAS vulnerabilities in key systems (Sense and Avoid / SCADA), navigation and collision avoidance systems, stealth design, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms; weapons systems security; electronic warfare considerations; data-links, jamming, operational vulnerabilities and still-emerging political scenarios that affect US military / commercial decisions. This second edition discusses state-of-the-art technology issues facing US UAS designers. It focuses on counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) – especially research designed to mitigate and terminate threats by SWARMS. Topics include high-altitude platforms (HAPS) for wireless communications; C-UAS and large scale threats; acoustic countermeasures against SWARMS and building an Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) acoustic library; updates to the legal / regulatory landscape; UAS proliferation along the Chinese New Silk Road Sea / Land routes; and ethics in this new age of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence (AI).https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1027/thumbnail.jp

Aeronautical Engineering: A Continuing Bibliography with Indexes

This report lists reports, articles and other documents recently announced in the NASA STI Database

Technology challenges of stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicles

The ever-changing battlefield environment, as well as the emergence of global command and control architectures currently used by armed forces around the globe, requires the use of robust and adaptive technologies integrated into a reliable platform. Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) aim to integrate such advanced technologies while also increasing the tactical capabilities of combat aircraft. This paper provides a summary of the technical and operational design challenges specific to UCAVs, focusing on high-performance, and stealth designs. After a brief historical overview, the main technology demonstrator programmes currently under development are presented. The key technologies affecting UCAV design are identified and discussed. Finally, this paper briefly presents the main issues related to airworthiness, navigation, and ethical concerns behind UAV/UCAV operations

Behavioral representation of military tactics for single-vehicle autonomous rotorcraft via statecharts

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 113-115).Over the past several years, aerospace companies have developed unmanned helicopters suitable for integration into military operations as reconnaissance platforms. These rotorcraft, however, require ground-based human controllers varying in number based on the size and complexity of the system controlled. The automation these platforms have achieved is limited to takeoffs, landings and navigation of pre-programmed waypoints. The possibilities for further development then are vast; with growing sensor and communication capabilities, there exists potential for unmanned rotorcraft to execute the full range of aviation missions normally reserved for manned assets. However, before military planners use autonomous helicopters as robust force multipliers, research must attempt to quantify possible tactics for software architecture implementation. This paper presents a methodology for developing autonomous helicopter tactics through the review of current military doctrine, pilot interviews, and simulation testing. Several tactics suitable for unmanned helicopters are recommended with an attempt to quantify the described behaviors using statecharts. The tactics diagrammed in the statecharts, or visual models that outline transitions between states based on conditions being met or events having occurred, are tested for feasibility in scenarios constructed with a US Army simulation tool, One SemiAutomated Forces (OneSAF) Testbed Baseline 2.0 (OTB 2.0). The ensuing results point to the success of using a thorough methodology to develop autonomous tactics and using statecharts to transfer qualitative behaviors into quantifiable actions.by Mark M. Hickie.S.M

Focused Mission High Speed Combatant

U.S. Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Office SHIPS, PMS 500 DD X Progra

Aeronautical Engineering: A continuing bibliography, supplement 124

This bibliography, lists 450 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in June 1980

The development of a warhead into an integrated weapon system to provide an advanced battlefield capability

This thesis addresses the topic of integration of weapons systems into communication networks to provide an advanced battlefield capability, with particular application to air launched and long range crew served weapon systems which may also be vehicle mounted. It considers the use of 'Military off-the-shelf' seeker, navigation and communication systems coupled with a novel tandem warhead system. This combination of 'low risk' technologies and a novel warhead system is intended to demonstrate a greater flexibility in weapon systems which could be exploited to reduce development risk, integration risk, qualification costs and increase target defeat capability across the wider more current target set. The use of a suitable communication and navigation system enabling integration of such a weapon system into a networked force was also investigated. This thesis is based on one area of research; Multiple Effects Weapons. Research is being undertaken by several nations on Multiple Effects Weapons. The aim of this research is not to provide a one weapon fits all solution, a panacea, the aim is to widen the utility of one system which could be employed in many roles. As yet no warhead system has achieved the types of effects that are being sought, although research and product development – particularly in the United States of America - continues. Therefore the United Kingdom government has sought to understand what technologies would be required to achieve a truly flexible warhead system which would enable defeat of large Main Battle Tanks, heavily armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Soft Skinned Vehicles, infantry and urban structures. To this end numerical modelling, design and a demonstration programme of a MEW warhead system was performed. MEW systems are not only reliant on 'Smart' warhead systems, the application of sensors, fuzing and communication systems are crucial to enable suitable employment of a 'one size fits most' approach. The other important sub-systems which provide the link to the battlefield network are also discussed in this thesis, the inclusion of these well developed low risk technologies make it is possible to bring such systems into service in the near term with increased system flexibility. The integration of such a system relies on the current United States Department of Defense procurement strategy which includes development of the Joint Tactical Radio System radio system which will allow Ad-Hoc networking between platforms, weapons systems and commanders. Airframe and propulsion technologies are not discussed; they are outside of the scope of this thesis. The use of proprietary data from suppliers other than QinetiQ has been avoided as suitable permissions are not in place, this has limited the systems engineering aspects of this thesis to high level block diagrams which provide guidance on integration issues

Evaluation and comparison of Freedom Class LCS and other frigates/corvettes against small boat, FPB and submarine threats in confined waters

This thesis compares the performance of the Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) with five similar international frigates and corvettes in a littoral combat environment. The alternative ships are: Formidable class frigate, Singapore Navy; MILGEM (Milli Gemi) class corvette, Turkish Navy; Steregushchiy class frigate, Russian Navy; Sigma class corvette, Indonesian Navy; and Visby class corvette, Swedish Navy. The study is conducted within a fictitious scenario in the Strait of Hormuz, countering Iran's naval capabilities. Hughes's Salvo Equations Model is used to evaluate a variable number of friendly combatants versus a fixed opposing force. The results identify the number of ships required to dominate the threat in the scenario. Based on the comprehensive results, including changes by adding hardkill and introducing countermeasure effectiveness, an optimum design suggestion is made. In the end, optimum design is a relative subject because the issues of sustainment and cost play a significant role in the decision. LCS is shown to be the most combat-effective performer, but its cost detracts from its operational advantages. MILGEM is a medium size ship with high performance and lower cost, making her the most cost-effective candidate. Visby has the lowest cost and because of its stealth can be combat-effective as others, but it is not nearly as sustainable. Thus, the decision depends on the weight placed on these several factors.http://archive.org/details/evaluationndcomp109454686Turkish Navy author.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Aeronautical engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 201)

This bibliography lists 438 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in May 1986