...Through Affordable Solutions
| ACTD Selection Criteria |
|---|
| 1. Technology sufficiently mature |
| 2. Significantly in
creased military utility |
| 3. Likely to be affordable (assuring affordability is part of the ACTD) |
| 4. Time frame: typically 2 - 4 years |
| 5. User commitment to full ACTD involvement (but not committed to procurement) |
| 6. Developer ready with a plan that covers all essential aspects/issues |
| 7. Risks identified, understood, and accepted |
| 8. Funds budgeted to complete the planned demo program (subject to revie
w of progress) |
| 9. Cost-effective demonstrations focused on principal issues |
| 10. RDT&E funding to support two years of operations in the field |
Until recently, the requirement for a robust family of UAVs had been neglected principally due to affordability issues related to system over-specification. During this past year, the DARO has worked with industry and DoD program sponsors to develop tailored acquisition strategies and streamlined overs
ight practices to remedy these difficulties. For example, the ACTD, using the concept of "fly before buy," puts capabilities into the hands of users early and allows them to refine performance parameters before they are formally established. The Predator UAV is our first ACTD, and we expect users will want to procure additional systems over the next few years as it proves its cost-effectiveness. Further, the DARO is a key participant in the tactical UAV integrated product teams (IPTs), which will
foster early, active and constructive support from all oversight authorities in order to accelerate the acquisition approval process for our programs under the DoD's formal acquisition guidelines.
The DARO is also committed to using IPTs to facilitate cost-performance trades and to assist in establishing realistic program cost-range goals. The benefits of teamwork between program manager and industry, and between functional oversight authorities and acquisition executives, are already paying major di
vidends -- as witnessed in our endurance UAV ACTDs. We expect to maintain close relationships with all acquisition executives to ensure the warfighter gets needed capabilities faster and at least cost.
All UAV programs are now tailored toward getting a capable and affordable system into the hands of the users before technology obsolescence and over-specification occur. We realize that our fighting force is not only smaller but more mission-specialized; therefore, small, capable and affordable quant
ities are increasingly important to the warfighter. Our current UAV program acquisition approaches are summarized below. In addition, we are monitoring logistics planning to assure life-cycle utility of these systems after fielding.
| UAV System | Program Mgt | Current Acquistion Approach |
|---|
| Maneuver UAV | Navy: PEO(CU) | Restructuring program to infuse an ACTD-like approach for FY98 fielding |
| Hunter Tactical UAV |
Navy: PEO(CU) | Rebaselinging the system to get the capability into the hands of the user quickly (via the IPT approach) |
| Predator MAE UAV | Navy: PEO(CU) | ACTD. Reviewing options for production |
| CONV HAE UAV | ARPA | ACTD. Two air vehicle designs and a common ground segement |
| DarkStar LO HAE UAV | ARPA |