Test Range Mobile Relay Platform

Tests of modern weapons systems often require large, over-water footprints for safe operations. Future weapons systems will require even larger test footprints. These tests challenge the current range infrastructure and require a cost-effective means toperform range sweep, telemetry/communications relay, over-the-horizon drone control and on-board data recording. For the Gulf Range, over-the-horizon drone control signal relay is currently performed by up to four MU-2 aircraft, while an E-9 aircraftperforms range sweep and test item telemetry relay. This proposal outlines a low-risk approach to demonstrate a single medium-altitude, long endurance unmanned platform to provide the needed capability at an affordable cost. We propose integrating alightweight sea surveillance radar, drone control signal relay, test item telemetry and communications relay equipment and on-board data recorders into a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as the General Atomics Predator to provide the required test rangesupport. Additionally, a single drone vehicle or several networked vehicles may augment a buoy or barge based weapons scoring capability. The proposed research will provide the DoD an alternative long-endurance, low-cost test range sweep/surveillance,telemetry relay, and range scoring capability. In addition to the basic range support function, a UAV equipped with the lightweight sea surveillance radar will be very useful in any rescue event due to the proposed radar's ability to detect life raft sizetargets at 30nmi range. Related applications are the provision of a long-endurance and cost effective sea surveillance capability for homeland defense and drug interdiction missions.