CUVX Design Report - the AOE home page - Virginia Tech

CUVX Design – VT Team 2 Page 99Appendix B – Acquisition Decision MemorandumAerospace and Ocean EngineeringVIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE215 Randolph HallAND STATE UNIVERSITY Mail Stop 0203, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061Phone # 540-231-6611 Fax: 540-231-9632September 25, 2003From:To:Subj:Ref:Virginia Tech Naval Acquisition ExecutiveCUVX Design TeamsACQUISITION DECISION MEMORANDUM FOR an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV)Carrier (CUVX)(a) CUVX Mission Need Statement1. This memorandum authorizes Concept Exploration of two material alternatives for an Unmanned Combat AirVehicle Carrier (CUVX), as proposed to the Virginia Tech Naval Acquisition Board in Reference (a). Thesealternatives are: 1) a modified-repeat LPD-17 design; and 2) an entirely new CUVX design. Additional material andnon-material alternatives supporting this mission may be authorized in the future.2. Concept exploration is authorized for a CUVX consistent with the mission requirements and constraints specifiedin Reference (a). CUVX will operate primarily in littoral areas, depending on stealth, with high endurance,minimum external support, low cost and low manning. It must support 20-30 UCAVs and UAVs, providing fortakeoff and landing, fueling, maintenance, weapons load-out, planning and control. The UAVs will provide surface,subsurface, shore, and deep inland surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. UCAVs and LAMPS willprovide initial/early conflict Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Ship Warfare (ASUW), Suppression ofEnemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and mining. CUVX will operate independently or in conjunction with small SurfaceAttack Groups (SAG). It will be capable of performing unobtrusive peacetime presence missions in an area ofhostility, and immediately respond to escalating crisis and regional conflict. CUVX is likely to be forward deployedin peacetime, conducting extended cruises to sensitive littoral regions. It will provide own defense with significantdependence on passive survivability and stealth. As a conflict proceeds to conclusion, CUVX will continue tomonitor all threats. CUVX will likely be the first to arrive and last to leave the conflict area. The ship shall bedesigned to minimize life cycle cost through the application of producibility enhancements and manning reduction.The design must minimize personnel vulnerability in combat through automation. Average follow-ship acquisitioncost shall not exceed $500M ($FY2005), not including aircraft. It is expected that 30 ships of this type will be builtwith IOC in 2012. Concepts will be explored in parallel with UCAV-N Concept Exploration and development usinga Total Ship Systems Engineering approach.A.J. BrownVT Acquisition Executive