Lightweight, Disposable Air Cargo Delivery System (LDACD)

"Special Operations units need rapid response resupply of lightweight but critical items, including ammunition, food/water, weapons and commo. Technology is advancing in the area of precision aerial delivery of cargo, but in general, current R&D for cargodelivery addresses heavier payloads (1 ton and up), requires moderate accuracy (100 m CEP) and uses high altitude release (20,000 ft) to minimize risk to the drop aircraft. While work in this area is helpful, it does not fully address the SOF need, whichis for a light payload (60 lb), requires extreme accuracy (<10 m), and uses high offset release from moderate altitude to minimize risk to the drop aircraft.The proposed research will consider existing technology, along with innovative concepts, to formulate several concept definitions for evaluation against a requirements matrix. Deployable aerodynamic configurations will include small parafoil, inflatablewing, body-lift, and swing-wing. The proposed Phase I objective is to provide the government with feasible concepts for Lightweight Disposable Air Cargo Delivery (LDACD) Systems and to demonstrate a lightweight prototype of the most promising systemunder remote manual control. The military benefits of a lightweight disposal air cargo delivery system will be important mainly to Special Operations units of the various services, and to expeditionary forces, such as the Marines. For such users, the ability to request and toreceive