Precision Targeting for the Tomahawk Cruise Missile Using Miniature Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Sensor Data

The use of tactical miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (MAV) is on the rise. MAV systems are typically affordable and small enough so that they can be operated at the platoon level and used to extend a unit's "line-of-sight" to see over/around mountains or into urban canyons. In the near future it is envisioned that the sensor data collected by tactical MAVs will be part of the Navy's FORCEnet intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system. Thus, the potential will soon exist to combine the data collected from any number of MAVs to produce accurate targeting information. By combining this network of tactical MAVs and the loiter and in-flight targeting capabilities of the Block IV Tomahawk cruse missile an opportunity exists to develop a new weapon system that combines persistent ISR, targeting, and strike of time critical targets. The ISL/Raytheon team envisions a system for which a user located anywhere in the world can analyze MAV sensor data provided over the FORCEnet to track, identify and strike high value and time critical enemy targets.