FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct 04, 2011
Integration and Execution of Digital Maritime Radar Key to Mission Success
SAN DIEGO – 4 October 2011 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI), a leading manufacturer of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), tactical reconnaissance radars, and electro-optic surveillance systems, today announced its successful participation in the recent U.S. Navy Experiment Trident Warrior 2011 (TW11) off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va. Employing ships, aircraft, and land vehicles, TW11 is the Navy’s primary FORCEnet Sea Trial experiment series designed to evaluate emerging technologies and network-centric toolsets to enhance situational awareness for decision-makers across all levels of the naval chain of command.
During its July 25-29 participation, GA-ASI operated a Predator B® UAS surrogate, a King Air aircraft, equipped with Predator B-type sensors and configured for maritime surveillance in support of fleet and homeland security objectives. GA-ASI’s Predator B surrogate performed a variety of overland and maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in the littoral environment that included surface vessel detection using the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar, and Full-Motion Video (FMV) from a FLIR 380HD imaging system to discern vessel intent.
“Our primary objective was to provide real-time situational awareness by disseminating radar and EO/IR [Electro-Optical Infrared] data to Navy land-based and at-sea command and control [C2] nodes,” said Linden Blue, president, Reconnaissance Systems Group, GA-ASI. “The missions were executed with success, demonstrating the ability to detect, classify, and identify targets in various weather conditions in support of FAC [Fast Attack Craft], FIAC [Fast Inshore Attack Craft], MIO [Maritime Interdiction Operations], and land convoy operations.”
To support TW11, GA-ASI integrated a surrogate UAS platform (King Air 200) equipped with EO/IR, a Lynx Multi-mode Radar with Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) mode, and a Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) data link system into the Navy’s C2 architecture. Flights originated from NAS Oceana and data was disseminated to the USS Vicksburg (CG 69) and the Combat Direction Systems Activity (CDSA) facility at Dam Neck. The Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI) and FMV sensors were key to development of TW11’s overall tactical picture, demonstrating the versatility of the UAS in both littoral and overland surveillance missions.
GA-ASI achieved several “firsts” in TW11, such as sending ISR data directly to the USS Vicksburg (equipped with a prototype Intelligence Carry-On Program (ICOP) antenna), the Navy Video Targeting System (NVTS), and the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) for target analysis.
About GA-ASI
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., an affiliate of General Atomics, delivers situational awareness by providing unmanned aircraft, radar, and electro-optic solutions for military and commercial applications worldwide. The company’s Aircraft Systems Group is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable unmanned aircraft systems, including Predator A, Predator B, Gray EagleTM, and the new Predator C Avenger®. It also manufactures a variety of solid-state digital Ground Control Stations (GCS), including the next-generation Advanced Cockpit GCS, and provides pilot training and support services for UAS field operations. The Reconnaissance Systems Group designs, manufactures, and integrates the Lynx Multi-mode Radar and sophisticated Claw® sensor control and image analysis software into both manned and unmanned aircraft. It also develops and integrates other sensor and communication equipment into manned ISR aircraft and develops emerging technologies in solid-state lasers, electro-optic sensors, and ultra-wideband data links for government applications. For more information, please visit www.ga-asi.com.
Predator, Lynx, Avenger, and Claw are registered trademarks and Gray Eagle is a trademark of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
For more information contact:
Kimberly Kasitz
Public Relations Manager
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1.858.312.2294