As the U.S. Army transforms its helicopter fleet to meet the increasingly complex, contested and communication-denied battlespace presented by near-peer adversaries, BAE Systems is leading the way through our development of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Air Launched Effects (ALE), a key capability that requires a unique path for success.
FVL ALE provides deep sensing at extended ranges with a new integrated approach to enable a multi-platform ecosystem. This is more than just a set of platforms connected to a network. The mission-enabling capabilities cooperatively engage threats to deliver solutions in contested environments. To be successful, this integrated approach must extend beyond just the hardware and software. The acquisition strategy to procure and field an integrated capability across the entire ALE set of platforms has to evolve from closed vertical platform stovepipes to an open horizontal base focused on providing mission capabilities. The new horizontally integrated approach allows the platforms, mission systems, and payloads to be knitted together as an ecosystem. This layered approach to the Attack and Reconnaissance mission domains for the FVL ALE ecosystem will provide an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft achieving and maintaining overmatch in future conflicts.
The U.S. Army continues to demonstrate high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) platforms – hardware and software upgrades as part of Project Convergence; a series of annual experiments showing how it can effectively merge its own warfighting units. Similarly, the acquisition community has embarked on a parallel journey to field an initial ALE ecosystem capability by 2025. Tying the architecture, weapon systems, platforms, and payloads in a horizontally integrated approach to meet the fielding timelines is a key element of the acquisition challenge. Simply applying the conventional or standard top down acquisition practices will not suffice. High TRL prototyping activities provide tremendous insight into the art of the possible, reducing the risks and allowing the U.S. Army and defense industry to move faster.
Horizontal Integration will shift program focus to be software- and payload-centric along mission domains to improve agility, enhance mission flexibility, and reduce sustainment and maintenance costs. The move to quickly compete and bring together disaggregated, high TRL efforts into an effective eco-system will require increased transparency and coordination between the government and all major defense technology companies. The horizontal approach needs to integrate the technical, organizational, and contractual elements necessary to effectively deliver capabilities in the critical mission domains. This ecosystem or new enterprise architecture will rely on a hierarchy of relationships, including not just the technical elements, but also the contractual and organizational elements to move quickly and achieve the end state. Managing the complexities of rapid capability deployment in a dynamic environment is necessary. It will require a balance of expertise, capabilities, flexibility, and shared incentives as roles and responsibilities are concurrently defined. Changing the construct will require accepting certain risks. However, it will create a more effective environment by building on individual organization’s strengths, while minimizing duplication. The current vertical platform centric construct burdens the process with significant technical and financial “pass-through costs” – impacting affordability, commonality, and agility.
The U.S. Army and defense industry will need to continue to practice and expand the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles for transparency of systems design, continuous design disclosure, and peer review across the ecosystem including architecture, weapon systems integrator, and enabler providers. The use of open or common standards for the key interfaces will enable rapid technology development and insertion of high TRL capabilities.
The opportunity to partner to bring the full FVL ecosystem to U.S. Army aviation is exciting and here today. As we modernize and distribute reconnaissance and surveillance and target acquisition and lethality, an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft government and industry can provide a step change in capabilities. This approach will preserve opportunities for future competition and improve interoperability throughout the FVL ecosystem across the U.S. Army, the joint force, and coalition forces.
As a trusted supporter of our military, BAE Systems is ready to apply its expertise to help our warfighters outpace tomorrow’s threats, and come home safely.