Navy Has Been Pushing UAVs for Years - They are not Perfect Yet, But is Boeing's MQ-25 Stingray Good Enough

What Happens When a Drone Misses the Landing on US Aircraft Carriers - YouTube

Summary

Here's a summary of the key points regarding Navy UAV development and operations:

1. Historical context:
- The Navy has been experimenting with drones for over 50 years
- Early attempts during the Vietnam War used rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) boosters
- Initial programs faced issues like connection loss, saltwater corrosion, and logistical challenges

2. X-47B breakthrough:
- In 2013, the X-47B performed the first catapult launch from a carrier
- It also achieved the first autonomous landing on a carrier
- The program was eventually shut down due to budget overruns

3. Current developments:
- Boeing was awarded a contract for the MQ-25 Stingray in 2018
- The Navy plans to have more than half of Carrier Air Wings composed of drones

4. Advantages of naval drones:
- Provide live video and intelligent information for strategic decision-making
- Reduce risk to human pilots
- Not affected by fatigue or health conditions
- Can operate autonomously using advanced algorithms and sensors

5. Launch and recovery systems:
- Use of Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for takeoff
- Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) for landing guidance
- Arresting cables used to stop drones on the carrier deck

6. Control and operations:
- Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS) used for drone control
- Potential for integration with Air Force operations (e.g., B-21 bombers)
- Development of drone teaming capabilities with manned aircraft

7. Challenges and safety measures:
- Navigation system failures can lead to aborted landings
- Prepared for accidents with first responders and specialized recovery teams
- Ongoing efforts to minimize unpredictability and improve system reliability

8. Future prospects:
- Continued development of autonomous capabilities
- Expansion of drone roles (e.g., refueling, ISR, combat support)
- Integration of advanced technologies like IRST (Infrared Search and Track) systems

This summary captures the evolution, current state, and future directions of Navy UAV development and operations, highlighting both the progress made and the challenges faced in this rapidly advancing field.

Transcription

There are very high hopes that this drone could revolutionize naval combat. However, these drones are being designed to land not just on the ground but on moving aircraft carriers, a feat that takes a human pilot years of training.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the Navy has attempted something similar, and historically these types of drones have not been immune to failures—catastrophic failures at that, especially when it comes to landing. So what happened that led to these failures, and what, if anything, is different about the X-47B?

Well, before the explosion of the internet and our world transitioning into a tech-based empire, the Navy understood just how crucial it was to capitalize on drone technology. They have been experimenting and using different prototypes of drones for over half a century. Almost 70 years ago, during the Vietnam War, the Air Force had a recon drone that they had utilized to great success. Their launching methods included a C-130 flying in the air with the drones attached to its wings. Once high enough, the pilots would launch the drones, which carried on with their missions.

However, for the Navy, a C-130 would be too big and difficult to fly from a carrier, not to mention how crowded the airspace would be during operations. So the engineers had to come up with something different. They decided on an idea to use rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) boosters. The idea was quite simple: the drone would take off from the carrier using RATO boosters and be guided to a checkpoint with the help of a Grumman E-2A Hawkeye aircraft. After that, it would continue autonomously to fly and take pictures of enemy positions. Upon completing the mission, the drone would fly back to the sea until its jet fuel ran out. A parachute would open, making it fall safely into the sea. Shortly after, a helicopter would be dispatched to retrieve it.

At first, the drone was very successful, but things would take a turn for the worst, and the drone would be met with a slew of issues. They had missions that failed due to connection loss with the drone. Missions failed because saltwater corrosion damaged the parachute mechanism. A drone that once seemed very promising began seeing a drastic decrease in mission success. Not to mention, logistically, the launching method was very different from a regular fighter jet, which used catapults. It disrupted the deck crew's flow of work, making it harder to operate.

Eventually, the mounting problems resulted in the Navy canceling the program until 1990, when they decided to work with the U.S. Air Force. The goal: make an autonomous drone capable of launching and landing similar to other fighter jets. Since then, the program saw the design of the X-47B, which in May 2013 performed its first catapult launch at sea, marking the first time a drone had ever been launched from a U.S. carrier. But the drone wasn't done making history, as just a mere two months later, it would also execute its first autonomous landing.

The Navy was absolutely thrilled, feeling as though this drone was a smashing success and that it was just a matter of time before it reached operational standards. However, it wouldn't be all success. They would unfortunately run into a major problem that would really set them back: money. The program was very expensive. They were, in fact, billions of dollars over budget and had still yet to finish an operation-ready design. Because of this, the program was forced to shut down for the foreseeable future.

This would remain the reality until August 2018, when they awarded a contract to Boeing for the MQ-25 drone, one that had recently shown great promise in becoming the world's first working drone operating autonomously—a drone that seemed to have appeared right out of a sci-fi movie.

With all that being said, why is the Navy so interested in drones in the first place? Why are millions of dollars being spent on this technology? Well, the answer to this lies in their remarkable capabilities. To start, drones are very good at providing live videos. Their smart computers are able to use the recording and come up with intelligent information, which helps the commanding officers make better strategic decisions, like exploiting enemy weaknesses or avoiding a catastrophic enemy attack.

Furthermore, the drones don't need a pilot on board, so if the enemy manages to take it down, you are not losing any pilots or engineers. The Navy can shift most of its focus on replacing them rather than having to deal with the loss of life and the several-year process of recruiting and training new pilots. Furthermore, drones are not affected by pilot fatigue or health conditions. The drones can operate by themselves using technology like autonomous decision-making algorithms, radars, or optical sensors. The operators need to pass on the mission parameters before the flight and then observe how the drone takes off, completes its mission, and then comes back for landing.

Performing these takeoffs from aircraft carriers is quite impressive, considering how short the runway is. It's not even the same size as an American football field, and because of this, the use of catapults is needed. The deck crew uses the same hand language technique and radio communication used for a manned aircraft to guide the drone to the catapult. Once in position, they connect the nose gear to the shuttle. Older carriers had these catapults operate on steam generated by reactors or boilers, but nowadays, electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EALS) are used, using electricity to generate strong electromagnetic fields through the entire catapult. The shuttle accelerates, pulling the drone with significant force. One of the main advantages of EALS is the ability to precisely control and adjust the launch force depending on the size and weight of the drone.

Speaking of control, the Navy has already announced that more than half of the Carrier Air Wings will be drones. But considering how limited an aircraft carrier is, the Navy can't afford to have multiple ground control stations on board. So they came up with an amazing solution utilizing the drone's autonomous capacity: they decided to use a command and control room, the MD-5 Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS). They have already started installing these control rooms on all 11 carriers.

This control room is where operators monitor and control all the drones from takeoff to completing missions and landing. It's like a football game where the operators act as coaches and the drones as players. Their top priority is ensuring the communication systems function properly so that information is relayed back and forth all the time. If there is a failure, the operators can lose control of the drone or, even worse, give wrong information to other aircraft, putting pilots' lives in danger.

In addition, these rooms will play a crucial role in helping the Navy combine forces with the Air Force to fight new threats. Countries like China have managed to develop long-range missiles that can destroy carriers, making it very unsafe to sail in the region. If the enemy were to take out a control room on a carrier or land, other control rooms or manned aircraft could take over and guide the UAVs.

How does this work? A simplified scenario would be like this: an Air Force B-21 stealth bomber, capable of flying long distances, can utilize Navy drones deployed from a carrier much closer to the contested airspace. Once its mission is completed, the bomber would head back to their land base and the UAVs back to the aircraft carrier.

The MQ-25 Stingray is already leading the way. Even though its initial purpose is to serve as a fuel tanker with a secondary ISR role, the Navy expects to gather as much information as possible about other options, like flying side by side with fighter jets or bombers. Boeing has already announced working on further lab tests, making the drone suitable for IRST (Infrared Search and Track) systems. The drone can act as forward eyes, detecting enemy flying aircraft or anti-air systems. Once the enemy is spotted, the drone can pass the information to the bomber, which will be able to engage that enemy from far away.

In addition, Boeing has been working on all virtual tests for the drone's ability to team up with crewed aircraft such as Boeing's P-8s, F/A-18 Block 3s, and E-2s. The aircraft easily takes control of four virtual MQ-25s through a special interface. Given the search area, only the MQ-25s autonomously go through checkups such as validating if the command didn't interfere with its operational limitations, planning the flying route, and then carrying on with the given task.

Once the mission is over, the drone heads straight back to the carrier. Landing procedures involve three main phases. It begins when the drone approaches the carrier using hybrid GPS and vision-based systems. The drone flies similarly to a manned aircraft, following an identical flight path. Cameras and sensors help it collect information about its position relative to the carrier, and if necessary, the drone makes the right adjustments to ensure a smooth landing. During this phase, the carrier sends information about its speed and the deck status. With the latest technology, JPALS (Joint Precision Approach and Landing System), drones can receive precise all-weather landing guidance from the Carrier Air Traffic Control.

Once the drone touches the deck, the tail hook catches one of the three or four arresting cables, which helps the drone stop before the runway is over. From there, the deck crew and the Deck Handling Operator (DHO) work together to move it to its parking spot. The "yellow shirt" guides the drone as if it were a manned aircraft, and the DHO uses a Deck Control Device (DCD) to steer the drone. This device offers a friendly interface and requires very little training. The heads-up handheld control grip and the arm-mounted display unit fit very comfortably in one of the operator's arms, and the processor, which is powered by a battery, is worn around the waist. It has a military-grade radio that keeps communication with the drone secure.

With all this incredible technology, one might think that nothing can go wrong. But what happens when a drone misses its landing? In July 2013, while the X-47B was making its historic landings on the USS George H.W. Bush, it also showcased that the system could not be fully autonomous. After two successful landings, the third attempt was aborted due to a failure in one of the navigational systems. The other two detected the anomaly, prompting the operators to divert it to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.

This incident highlighted the challenges of unmanned carrier operations. You could argue that it can be morally wrong in case of a fatal accident. What if the calculations from the drone and the air traffic controller wrongly directed it toward a crowded area? Unlike UAVs, and the fact that the manned aircraft also rely on JPALS technology, a pilot can maneuver and maintain full control of the aircraft. On the other hand, Captain Jaime Engdahl, the program manager for the Unmanned Combat Air System, explained that the system has room for improvement. However, it was the drone itself that decided not to land because of the anomaly. After sending the information to the control room, the operators decided to send the drone to an airfield.

Later, the Navy went for another landing, but the test was canceled due to a minor test instrumentation issue. Again, the drone was ordered to land at an airfield. Nevertheless, the Navy is prepared in case there is an accident. The first responders will jump into action, ensuring the safety of personnel and then controlling any damages. In case of a fire, the responders use their fire-resistant suits, and a firefighting P-25 is available to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. Additionally, aircraft carriers can deploy their helicopter squadrons as first responders if the drone falls into the sea.

If someone falls overboard, the navigation bridge is immediately notified, and the side of the fall is indicated. A life rig is thrown, and the "Man Overboard" alarm is raised while the ship turns around. Specific crew members prepare to lower rescue boats, and all other sailors report for headcount to ensure no one else is missing. When the personnel is secured, specialized recovery teams are set to handle the damaged aircraft securely and as fast as possible so that the runway is cleared and operational. This team uses special tools and equipment to work with heavy metal.

Once this is over, the damaged aircraft undergoes a thorough analysis to determine the cause. Preventing system failures is almost impossible, but minimizing their unpredictability has proven to be achievable with rapid technological advancements. Drones have paved the way for an exciting future. Until next time, bye for now.