Unmanned Aerial System

The Unmanned Aerial System program, particularly the Marine Group 5 UAS Development, aims to address critical capability gaps identified in previous assessments. This initiative focuses on developing a Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system based on the MQ-9A weapon system. The primary goal is to enhance Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to support various operations such as Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and Distributed Maritime Operations. The program involves designing and integrating mission-specific payloads and sensors to meet Tier 1 mission requirements.

Key components of the MALE program include the development of advanced payloads and sensors such as the Common Operating and Intelligence Picture, Detect And Avoid System, Airborne Network Extension/SkyTower II, Electronic Warfare capabilities, Maritime Domain Awareness, and Proliferated Low Earth Orbit systems. These components are crucial for providing comprehensive situational awareness and operational effectiveness in contested environments. The program is supported by UX-24, which plays a vital role in testing and validating these capabilities to ensure they meet the United States Marine Corps' requirements.

The MALE program's acquisition strategy leverages existing developmental programs with mature technology readiness levels to integrate these capabilities onto the MQ-9A UAS. This approach includes utilizing government resources and competitive contract awards to develop and acquire necessary technologies. The program also emphasizes continuous improvement of payload capabilities to keep pace with evolving threats.

Within this program, the Autonomous Maritime Patrol Aircraft (AMPA) project addresses specific capability gaps identified by fleet priorities. This project involves a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration aimed at achieving ultra-long endurance for unmanned aerial systems with significant payload capacity. The AMPA initiative seeks to enhance persistent Command, Control, Communications, and ISR capabilities through design refinement activities and experimentation to inform future integration strategies.