So in summary we have now moved from finding some utility for our UOR Reapers post Afghanistan LJ 102147DEC12 (assuming they are brought into core - I wonder what other capability/how many jobs will be lost to pay for that?) to we need a different UAV, possibly bigger than the current Reapers, certainly a new version with some ice protection systems LJ 110004DEC12 and 110049DEC12 that might (or might not) be able to do the task of a manned MMA/MPA. Of course there will be no delay in designing, testing and operationalising
this new UAV.
We may (or may not) need MAD which might be provided by another UAV, possibly rotary wing (always assuming that we have any assets capable of operating this UAV in the right air/sea space at the right time).
We need to redesign all of the sonobuoys to make them smaller (of course ignoring the fact that batteries, cables, hydrophones, floatation devices and transmitter/receivers will take up a finite space) and lighter.
We need to design a UAV portable sonobuoy carriage system, which can carry in the order of 100 sonobuoys varying in weight between 10 lbs and 60 lbs under each wing. Of course we may need to redesign the buoys so that they can be programmed remotely or the pod needs to be able to programme the buoy before release (see above).
We need systems installed in the UAV that can receive data from, lets say, 32 buoys simultaneously and retransmit that via satellite to a suitable ship or ground station. A decent radar, maybe some ESM systems, some TCAS and perhaps some autocat, plus other odds and sods.
We want a weapons carrying UAV that can bring the weapons to the party whilst other UAVs do the tracking of the submarine.
We might want to bring in some dipping UAVs which suggests some sort of hover capability, which suggests rotary wing, which suggests a lot of noise going into the water for the submarine to counterdetect and avoid
With all these UAVs out there its going to be mighty busy.
Now with all these UAVs pottering around we are going to need some form of C2 platform, perhaps with a few people onboard to make sense of the mess. I give you:
