TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Littoral Combat Ship Unmanned Surface Vehicles

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: To reduce the motion of Unmanned Surface Vehicles during recovery to increase the probability of recovery.

DESCRIPTION: Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) will be launched and recovered from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and, potentially, other Navy surface craft in Sea States up to 4. The goal of this topic is the development of technology to reduce the motion of the USV to increase the probability of recovery safely and reliably. LCS launch and recovery of USVs will be accomplished by three methods: 0ver-the-side crane; stern crane; stern ramp. A number of efforts, including previous SBIR projects, have focused on USV recovery by the LCS. None of the efforts has focused specifically on reducing the relative motion between the USV and the mother ship. Recovery can be difficult and unreliable due to a variety of factors including wave interactions with the ship hull, the wake from the host ship, wind, reduced USV control at low speeds.

Proposed solutions must to decrease undesirable motions of the USV at low speeds while allowing it to maneuver�such as pitch, roll, and porpoising. A solution workable with all three recovery approaches is preferable. Solutions might include new control algorithms, added control fins, or other hardware. Proposed solutions should work with existing USV hull form. Proposals for new hull forms will not be considered. Adaptations to existing USV propulsion systems may be considered if their impact is minimal and their benefits significant. Temporary manning of the USV during recovery is not an option. Proposed external appendages must either be retractable or not interfere with USV operations high speed or USV stowage on the mother ship. USVs are also weight limited; therefore, the solution must not add significant weight to the USV.

PHASE I: Develop a conceptual design of the proposed solution. The design should include a tradeoff study for both the mother ship and USV equipment. Interface control documentation should be created for the design. High risks components of the proposed solution should be identified and small lab demonstrations proposed of how those high risks would be reduced.

PHASE II: The Phase II effort should be the development of a prototype system that could be integrated onto a USV in Phase III upon successful testing. Testing of the prototype system could be on a platform of opportunity, which may include a manned boat.

PHASE III: Integrate and test of the system for recovery of USV by an LCS or a commercial ship of opportunity.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL.DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This technology would be applicable to any application involving recovery of USVs and, potentially, manned small surface craft. Examples would include oil and gas exploration, search and rescue missions, commercial fishery.

REFERENCES: 1. Littoral Combat Ship. http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/lcs/

2. Brizzolara, Robert. Unmanned Sea Surface Vehicle. December, 2004. http://www.dodsbir.net/sitis/
view_pdf.asp?id=N051-055.pdf

3. Gayle, Wayne. Operational Manning Requirements and Deployment Procedures for Unmanned Surface Vehicles Aboard US Navy Ships. Naval Postgraduate School. Thesis. March, 2006. http://www.nps.edu/
Research/HCS/Docs/Gayle.pdf

4. U.S. Coast Guard. Stern Boat Deployment Systems and Operability. http://www.skibstekniskselskab.dk/
download/WMTC/B2(O21).pdf

5. Search "launch and recovery" at the following URL for Navy SBIR and STTR projects: http://www.navysbirprogram.com/navysearch/search/search.aspx5ANALYSIS OF 5.

6. For a snapshot of launch and recovery issues, see http://www.navalengineers.org/
Events/LaunchRecovery2005/Agenda.html

KEYWORDS: Unmanned Surface Vehicle; USV; Littoral Combat Ship; LCS; launch; recovery

TPOC: Daniel Deitz
Phone: (202)781-2670
Fax:
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between July 19 and August 19, 2007, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting August 20, 2007, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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