Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030 - Federation of ...

UAS ROADMAP 2005
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE
The purpose of this Roadmap is to stimulate the planning process for U.S. military UA development over
the period from 2005-2030. It is intended to assist DoD decision makers in developing a long-range
strategy for UA development and acquisition in future Quadrennial Defense Reviews (QDRs) and other
planning efforts, as well as to guide industry in developing UA-related technology. Additionally, this
document may help other U.S. Government organizations leverage DoD investments in UA technology to
fulfill their needs and capabilities. The Roadmap addresses the following key questions:
� What requirements for military capabilities could potentially be filled by UA systems?
� What processor, communication, platform, and sensor technologies are necessary to provide these
capabilities?
� When could these technologies become available to enable the above capabilities?
This Roadmap is meant to complement ongoing Service efforts to redefine their roles and missions for
handling 21st century contingencies. The Services see UAS as integral components of their future tactical
formations. As an example, the Army’s current transformation initiative envisions each Brigade Combat
Team having a reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) squadron equipped with an
UAS, reflecting the initiative’s emphasis on reducing weight, increasing agility, and integrating robotics
in their future forces.
1.2 SCOPE
OSD, as part of its oversight responsibilities for Defense-wide acquisition and technology, intends this
Roadmap to be strong guidance in such cross-program areas as standards development and other
interoperability solutions. It neither authorizes specific UAS nor prioritizes the requirements, as this is
the responsibility of the Services and the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). It does,
however, identify future windows when technology should become available to enable new capabilities,
linked to warfighters’ needs, to be incorporated into current or planned UAS. Many of the technologies
discussed in this document are currently maturing in defense research laboratories and contractor
facilities. The Roadmap span of 25 years was chosen to accommodate what typically constitutes a
generation of aircraft and payload technology, from laboratory project to fielded system. The information
presented in this study is current as of March 30, 2005. Programmatic information is current as of
February 7, 2005 when the FY06 President’s Budget went to Congress.
1.3 DEFINITIONS
Cruise missile weapons are occasionally confused with UA weapon systems because they are both
unmanned. The key discriminators are (1) UA are equipped and intended for recovery at the end of their
flight, and cruise missiles are not, and (2) munitions carried by UA are not tailored and integrated into
their airframe whereas the cruise missile’s warhead is. This distinction is clearly made in the Joint
Publication 1-02 DoD Dictionary’s definition for “UAV” (or UA).
A powered, aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide
vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and can
carry a lethal or non-lethal payload. Ballistic or semi ballistic vehicles, cruise missiles, and artillery
projectiles are not considered unmanned aerial vehicles.
1.4 WHY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT?
The familiar saying that UA are better suited for "dull, dirty, or dangerous" missions than manned aircraft
presupposes that man is (or should be) the limiting factor in performing certain airborne roles. Although
any flight can be dull or dangerous at times, man continues to fly such missions, whether because of
SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
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