A framework for developing capability requirements for UAVs that support diverse ISR missions

Morgaine E Kim, Purdue University

Abstract

The evolving nature of threats facing the United States has led to the increasing importance of intelligence assets. The acquisition of intelligence assets is occurring inefficiently, leading to forfeited performance and wasted money. The isolation in which acquisition occurs across different organizations leads to a lack of interoperability among acquired systems, as well as a lack of knowledge about the required capabilities of an asset in order to perform for multiple organizations. This thesis proposes an approach for generating an accurate set of platform capability requirements for an unmanned aircraft that can perform multiple missions for multiple users. The approach considers the acquisition process and intelligence missions as systems-of-systems, allowing for the consideration of the impacts of system design across the acquisition lifecycle. A model has been developed that allows vehicle performance, payload, and future technology trades, helping acquisition decision-makers reach conclusions that often are not obvious in the design of new systems for multi-asset missions: the effects of system design choices and their interactions on mission-level metrics. The result of this approach is the generation of a solution space of unmanned aircraft designs and their associated trades in performance, cost, and risk for multiple intelligence missions that can be navigated by acquisition officials in order to find the optimum unmanned aircraft design for all missions in question. A proof of concept study has been performed that compares the capabilities required of an unmanned aircraft to perform missile defense and border patrol intelligence missions. Results suggest that a common asset can likely be acquired to perform both missions adequately.

Degree

M.S.A.A.

Advisors

DeLaurentis, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Aerospace engineering

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