Reduced Signature Powered Parafoil

Delivery of equipment and material by airdrop is an established part of warfighter support. Because of the limited cross range flexibility of these delivery parachutes, even when guided, the airdrop platform is itself at risk provides a cue to the existence of a supported unit.  It would be desirable to reduce the signature of a delivery event by reducing the probability of the detection of the drop event and reducing the probability that the dropped packages will be seen, heard, or located. Logos proposes to identify, test, and demonstrate multiple approaches for practical signature reduction for powered parafoil aircraft. For this proposed Phase I program, Logos will examine the signature requirements for all solicitation aspects through a full system design and military utility analysis trade.  There will be a specific focus on alternative parafoil materials for reduced visible and infrared signatures. This effort will result in a Systems Requirement Review (SRR).   After SRR, Logos will focus on risk reduction of the EO/IR signature development, designing and measuring the optical and IR properties of a reduced visual signature parafoil.  Finally, in a potential option, Logos will design and fabricate an autonomous test vehicle, using its existing autonomous flight control system for PPGs, that will allow in-flight signature measurement early in the Phase II. As a whole, this effort will set up Logos (and team) to fully develop and test the solicited PPGs in Phase II.