CUVX Design Report - the AOE home page - Virginia Tech

CUVX Design – VT Team 2 Page 92 Mission DefinitionThe CUVX mission definition presented here was developed from the CUVX Mission Need Statement (MNS),Appendix A, and Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM), Appendix B, with elaboration and clarificationobtained by discussion and correspondence with the customer, and reference to pertinent documents and web sitesreferenced in the following sections.2.1 Concept of OperationsThe CUVX concept of operations (CONOPS) is based on the CUVX Mission Need Statement and AcquisitionDecision Memorandum (ADM). CUVX will operate in littoral areas, close-in, depend on stealth, with highendurance, minimum external support, and low manning. It will support 20-30 UCAVs and UAVs, and 2-4LAMPS helicopters, providing for takeoff and landing, fueling, maintenance, weapons load-out, planning andcontrol. The UAVs will provide surface, subsurface, shore, and deep inland surveillance, reconnaissance andelectronic warfare. The LAMPS will provide Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Ship Warfare(ASUW) defense. UCAVS will provide initial/early conflict Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), Strikeand mining. CUVX will operate independently or in conjunction with small Surface Attack Groups (SAGs). Itwill be capable of performing unobtrusive peacetime presence missions in an area of hostility, and immediatelyrespond to escalating crisis and regional conflict. CUVX is likely to be forward deployed in peacetime, conductingextended cruises to sensitive littoral regions. Small crew size and limited logistics requirements will facilitateefficient forward deployment. It will provide own defense with significant dependence on passive survivabilityand stealth. As a conflict proceeds to conclusion, CUVX will continue to monitor all threats. CUVX will likely bethe first to arrive and last to leave the conflict area.2.2 Projected Operational Environment (POE) and ThreatCUVX will provide worldwide operation with two distinct classes of threats. These threats include: (1)Threats from nations with a major military capability, or the demonstrated interest in acquiring such a capability.Specific weapons systems that could be encountered include land and surface launched cruise missiles, andsignificant land based air assets and submarines; and (2) Threats from smaller nations who support, promote, andperpetrate activities that cause regional instabilities detrimental to international security and/or have the potentialdevelopment of nuclear weapons. Specific weapons systems include diesel/electric submarines, land-based airassets, submarines, and chemical/biological weapons.Since many potentially unstable nations are located on or near geographically constrained bodies of water, thefuture tactical picture will be on smaller scales relative to open ocean warfare. Threats in such an environmentinclude: (1) technologically advanced weapons – cruise missiles like the Silkworm and Exocet, land-launchedattack aircraft, fast gunboats armed with guns and smaller missiles, and diesel electric submarines; and (2)unsophisticated and inexpensive passive weapons – mines, chemical and biological weapons. Many encountersmay occur in shallow water. This increases the difficulty of detecting and successfully prosecuting targets.2.3 MissionsCUVX mission types include the following:• Pre-conflict• Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)• Conflict• Continue ISR• SEAD• Mining• Pre-position and support UCAVs for time-sensitive air and missile strikes (HARM and JDAM)• SPECOPS• ECM• ASW / ASuW / with LAMPS• Post-conflict• Continue ISR