AIRFIELDS DEVELOPMENT

A STUDY IS PROPOSED TO SELECT A WORKABLE METHOD FOR QUICKLY ASSESSING DAMAGE TO EXPEDITIONARY AIRFIELDS, SO THAT THEY CAN BE REPAIRED WITH THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN AS SHORT A TIME AS POSSIBLE. RUNWAYS CAN BE EITHER PAVED OR MADE OF ALUMINUM MATTING. SINCE ENEMY TROOPS, OR TOXIC AGENTS CAN BE PRESENT, SAFETY AND SURVIVABILITY ARE CONSIDERATIONS. BECAUSE THE MISSION CAN OCCUR AT NIGHT, THE USE OF INFRARED OR RADAR SENSORS IS EMPHASIZED, ALONG WITH CONCEPTS THAT UTILIZE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING. THE STUDY PROPOSES TO ALLOCATE THE ASSUMED REQUIREMENTS TO SENSORS, VEHICLES, DATA RETURN DEVICES, AND ASSESSMENT EQUIPMENT, AND TO EVALUATE A NUMBER OF OVERALL SYSTEM CONCEPTS. THE EVALUATION WILL CONSIDER ASSESSMENT PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF RESOLUTION AND TIMELINESS; PRACTICALITY; ABILITY TO USE EXISTING HARDWARE; ABILITY TO ACHIEVE INITIAL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY IN A SHORT TIME; AND LIFE CYCLE COST. COLLECTION SYSTEMS WILL INCLUDE MANNED AND UNMANNED SYSTEMS, AND WILL CONSIDER SYSTEMS THAT OVERFLY THE AIRFIELDS, SYSTEMS THAT EMPLACE SENSORS AT THE AIRFIELD, AND EXPENDABLE SYSTEMS. THE EVALUATION WILL RESULT IN THE SELECTION OF THE BEST OVERALL SYSTEM CONCEPT(S), AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN TO DEMONSTRATE MEASUREMENT CAPABILITY, PROVIDE AN INTERIM OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY, AND DEVELOP AN OPERATIONAL SYSTEM.