Strategy for Unmanned Maritime Systems Presented to: Defense Innovation Day Panel 4 September 2014 Dr. Megan Cramer Science & Technology Director PEO LCS
Overview Concept of operations for unmanned maritime systems (UMS) continues to envision systems that are multi-mission, reconfigurable, and capable of acceptable performance over a wide range of environmental and contextual variability. Key enablers for these concepts of operation are: Autonomy module which can execute different mission directives Mission payload consisting of re-configurable sensor or effector suites Modularity in mission payloads enables affordability, flexibility (i.e., more capability with future platforms), and scalability (i.e., force multiplication). As the maritime platforms become more stable in their design (e.g. unmanned surface vehicles, unmanned underwater vehicles) future developments are able to focus on more capable sensors and more robust autonomy algorithms. To respond to Fleet needs, given an evolving threat, programs will want to interchange the latest sensor or a new and improved algorithm in a cost effective and efficient manner.
Unmanned Maritime System Roadmap Focus on how to create building blocks towards enabling an autonomous and modular capability for Unmanned Maritime Systems. Manual Policy Organization Technical User Autonomy 2
Outline Enable Maritime Autonomy & Modularity through focus on: Policy Organization Technical User 3
User-Driven Approach Needed Capability needs should drive technology development Many communities are potentially beneficiaries of UMS Autonomous Systems Surface and Submarine mission areas Manned/Unmanned Collaboration Platform integration Mine Countermeasures (MCM) mission Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) UUV Mission Demonstration Tests Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) mission Offensive missions User Operational Evaluation System (UOES) approach recommended Enables user buy-in and incremental improvements Planning & Evaluation User 4
Outline Enable Maritime Autonomy & Modularity through focus on: Policy Organization Technical User 5
Defining a UMS Reference Architecture Goal to enable efficient and cost effective technology insertion in order to better support UMS mission area capability needs, particularly with respect to pacing the threat and towards provision of an autonomy capability. Unmanned Maritime System (UMS) Reference Architecture Working Group established to work towards this goal. Major Interfaces Technical 6
Outline Enable Maritime Autonomy & Modularly through focus on: Policy Organization Technical User 7
The Challenge Contracting approach that enables Rapid Technology Insertion (RTI) Ability to rapidly: 1. Identify mature technology solutions to meet emergent operational needs, 2. Assess and verify maturity of technology solutions, 3. Integrate/Fleet Experimentation, and 4. Acquire/Procure and Field multiple units, quickly. Sustain business & innovation competition throughout the above steps Execute process quickly to satisfy Fleet demand for rapid solutions 8
Why is this a Challenge? Typically, there is a break between the assessment of technologies and then the acquisition/procurement of that technology. Assessment Acquire/Procure Identify Need Solicit Assess Potential Solutions BREAK Compete or Sole Source May not get the desired solution that was assessed Rigorous justification process Increased Time 9
Rapid Technology Insertion (RTI) Approach In consultation with Navy contracting leadership, Rapid Technology Insertion (RTI) approach developed to marry the two processes Negotiated Options Identify Need Applicable for Mature Technologies Solicit Assess Potential Solutions At Sea Integration/ Fleet Experimentation Procure Options negotiated in advance Evaluation criteria established in advanced Procurement contract negotiated in advance Standard Solicitation Package Section C (SOW) tailored to Topic Description Section L/M (Evaluation Criteria) tailored to Topic Five Elements: 1. Context 2. Objectives 3. Necessary Conditions 4. Measures 5. Standards Evaluation Criteria: 1. Mature Technology? (Go/No Go) 2. Technical Criteria 3. Life Cycle Criteria 4. Past Performance 5. Cost 10
Outline Enable Maritime Autonomy & Modularity through focus on: Policy Organization Technical User 11
Many UMS Stakeholders PEO LCS ONR OSD (AT&L) OPNAV (N2/N6, N95, N96, N97) NAVSEA HQ (NAVSEA 073, PMS 340, PMS 408) NAVSEA (NUWC, NSWC and other programs when relevant) SPAWAR (SSC PAC, SSC LANT) NAVAIR PEO U&W PEO C4I (PMW760, PMW770) PEO SUBS (PMS 394, PMS 485) NMO CFFC DEVERON 5 NAVO NMAWC NOMWC NRL DARPA Naval Postgraduate School CRUSER NOAA Dept of Energy Sandia National Lab National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Industry/Academia/Not-for-Profits COMSUBFOR COMSUBLANT COMSUBPAC Organization 12
Outline Enable Maritime Autonomy & Modularity through focus on: Policy Organization Technical User 13
Policy Needed for UMS to Drive Change Many disparate systems in the Unmanned Maritime Systems community Policy can encourage Reference Architecture implementation, including language in contracts Current policies dictate JAUS over-the-air to enable standards-based communications to the UMS, and UCS-based control systems to enable an open architecture USV Operator Display NOMWC Operations USV/UUV Mission Demonstration Tests Policy Post Mission Analysis USV/UISS 14
Summary Autonomy solutions are within reach from a technology perspective. The challenge is comprised of the building blocks that are essential for these technologies to succeed in order to meet Fleet capability needs. User Organization Technical Policy A hiatus exists between the inventor who knows what they could invent if they only knew what was wanted and the soldiers who knew, or ought to know, what they want and would ask for it if they only knew how much science could do for them. You have never really bridged that gap yet. - Winston Churchill, The Great War, Vol. 4 15