UAS Payloads for Detection of Surface/Buried Ordnance and Aerial Initiation of Energetics

US Air Force EOD forces are responsible for the rapid detection, characterization, mitigation, and neutralization of surface and buried ordnance that would otherwise inhibit strategic flight line operations. EOD teams, in support of CEC's "Integration Base Response and Recovery" capability, have a requirement to clear airfields to ensure that the Air Force/Space Force can resume flight operations as quickly as possible after an adversarial attack.á To reduce this timeline, TETAC has identified a number of AI and autonomy solutions that can be used to revolutionize AF EOD operations, and which would represent a paradigm shift to current techniques, tactics, and procedures. During Phase I feasibility discussions with the AF EOD future requirements team, we learned that emerging capabilities must accomplish each phase of the EOD airfield clearance mission to include the following: a. Scanning for Ordnance:á Current technology, such as ground penetrating radars mounted on ground vehicles, are unable to meet the time requirement and can often take hours to detect and clear ordnance located beneath the runway. These ground-based vehicles also cannot detect surface ordnance or runway damage thereby requiring a second platform to be deployed. b. Rapid Characterization: During the scanning phase of the operation, AF EOD is interested in characterizing the type of ordnance located on or beneath the runway.á c. Mitigation: The quickest way to open an airfield is to cordon off the section of the runway affected by the unexploded ordnance item and continue operations where deemed safe. This mitigation process requires the EOD team to make recommendations based on the ordnance item (blast and fragmentation). Therefore, information obtained through the scanning process needs to be accurate and formalized for mitigation procedures. d. Neutralization/Render Safe: Air Force EOD forces are also required to provide neutralization and render safe capabilities to remove hazardous threats.áEnergetic capabilities for rapid neutralization using EOD tools would also enhance the EOD mission where laser systems are unable to be used, such as with expeditionary operations. There is an opportunity to adapt UAS payloads and enhance these payloads with AI and autonomy to rapidly detect ordnance (scanning), characterize the ordnance, and either mitigate the ordnance or neutralize it to reduce impacts to flight operations. It is proposed that the technologies presented will be prototyped and demonstrated to Air Force EOD to enable evaluation and feedback to guide a possible future program of record integration.