Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike)

The Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike) program is a strategic initiative by the Navy to address critical warfighting gaps anticipated with the phasing out of legacy rotary wing platforms such as the MH-60R, MH-60S, and MQ-8C. The primary objective is to develop and deploy advanced crewed and uncrewed rotorcraft systems that are more capable, maintainable, and reliable. These systems aim to enhance Distributed Maritime Operations by providing improved capabilities in Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T), Surface Warfare, Undersea Warfare, Air Warfare, Electronic Warfare, and Naval Special Warfare.

The program supports the Navy's 30-year Aviation Plan by ensuring effective and efficient warfighting capabilities. To achieve this, it focuses on pre-Milestone A activities involving comprehensive analyses and studies necessary for acquisition documentation. These tasks include defining capability requirements, conducting affordability studies, developing acquisition strategies, life cycle cost estimates, and systems engineering plans. Emphasis is also placed on risk reduction initiatives and design trade studies to ensure optimal value development for the warfighter.

Collaboration with various government entities, industry partners, and academic institutions is crucial for this program. Partners include Naval Research Labs, DARPA, Georgia Tech Research Institute, John Hopkins APL, and Penn State University Applied Research Lab. These collaborations leverage expertise in producing supporting documents like Acquisition Strategy (AS), Capabilities Development Document (CDD), Life Cycle Cost Estimate (LCCE), Life Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP), and Systems Engineering Plan (SEP). The program also supports joint vertical lift initiatives focusing on open hardware and software architectures for mission system interoperability.

In FY 2025, efforts will continue with a focus on finalizing program planning and Milestone A acquisition documentation. This includes tasks such as engineering modeling and analysis, conceptual design trade studies for air vehicles and avionics systems, virtual simulations, and other related activities. Completing these tasks is expected to facilitate a smooth transition into the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction phase by FY 2026. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike) program aligns with the Navy's long-term strategic objectives while maintaining robust warfighting capabilities.