Broad Area Maritime Surveillance [BAMS]
In May 2002 the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, issued an order under Basic Ordering Agreement, N00019-02-G-0350, on a sole source basis with Raytheon Company in support of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Tactical Control Systems (TCS) program. The order consisted of the performance of studies and design analysis in support of the Phase I and Phase II Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) program. The near term objective was to develop an interface device that will allow a level 2 communication between the Mission Control Element (MCE) and the Tactical Support Center (TSC) for the Global Hawk Demonstration Program. In the development of the interface device, a Tactical Control System (TCS) product, it was the Navy's goal to reuse as much of the TCS software (Block 2 Version 2) as practical and to identify feasible changes to the TSC and/or TCS for the optimum interface. The long term goal was to achieve a fully integrated and seamless TCS/TSC system, which would be used by the future BAMS UAV. The future TCS/TSC system was envisioned to provide level 4 UAV control. The purpose of the BOA study was to determine the feasibility and options for the fully integrated TCS/TSC. Successful completion of the effort requires intimate knowledge of the TCS core hardware and software, various UAV related systems and the relationship of UAVs within the air reconnaissance architecture. The Raytheon Company was the only known source that possesses the peculiar engineering data, knowledge of TCS design and operation requirements, capability, and expertise required to successfully provide these supplies and services in an accurate and timely manner. The estimated period of performance was July 2002 to January 2003.
On December 17th 2002, NAVAIR and OPNAV officials hosted over 150 industry representatives as part of the overall acquisition strategy. In July 2003 Northrop Grumman Corporation's Defensive Systems Division and Sonoma Design Group signed a teaming agreement for the design and production of a high-performance electro-optic (E/O) and infrared (IR) system for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and targeting for specified business opportunities. The system, called the Night Hunter II, combined Northrop Grumman's sensor and processing capabilities with Sonoma Design's high-performance gimbal technologies. Night Hunter II incorporated elements from several existing Northrop Grumman programs, including the Night Hunter E/O surveillance system, the LITENING advanced targeting pod, and the distributed aperture system thermal imaging system developed for the Joint Strike Fighter. The Night Hunter II was designed to be optimized for passive imaging at standoff ranges in both the visible and IR regions. Some of the system's key capabilities include a largest-in-class aperture of 11 inches in a 21-inch lightweight turret; search, auto detect and track modes; superior pointing stability over the full 360-degree range; support for the laser ranging and designation for targeting of the latest laser-guided or global positioning system-guided weapons; and a scalable design that uses common gimbal architecture. This versatile turret design would accommodate up to six sensors for improved performance and flexibility. Night Hunter II's open and modular architecture and large available sensor volume gives the system excellent growth potential. Night Hunter II's lightweight and low sensor placement offers ease of installation into platforms such as those under evaluation for the U.S. Navy's Multimission Maritime Aircraft and Broad Area Maritime Surveillance programs.
In early 2004, resisting pressure from the Air Force to choose the Global Hawk, the Navy had announced that it was going to proceed with its own acquisition plan. Northrop Grumman proposed a version of the Global Hawk that would stay at altitudes of 60,000 feet. Lockheed Martin's Mariner offered a melding of the General Atomics Predator B fuselage with the 86-foot wings of the Altair in order to achieve the altitude and range required by a BAMS aircraft. Mariner would patrol at 50,000 feet, but descend below cloud cover to use electro-optical and infrared sensors. The Navy envisioned a three-way competition that would include General Dynamics’ unmanned G550, an unmanned version of the Gulfstream 550.
It was decided that in FY05 that Two Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration vehicles (GHMD) would be procured from the Air Force for maritime CONOPS development, sensor technology experimentation, and fleet orientation prior to the planned introduction of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance UAV in FY09. The demonstration — separate from the BAMS program — fit within the chief of naval operations’ Sea Trial concept of experimentation.
In May 2004 Raytheon Company successfully integrated and demonstrated its SeaVue maritime surveillance radar and AN/AAS-52 Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS-A) aboard a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Mariner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a derivative of the Generals Atomics Predator B UAV. In order to meet an important demonstration request, Raytheon installed and integrated the SeaVue and MTS-A mission systems, and then performed the necessary flight verification tests in only three weeks. In addition to demonstrating the Mariner UAV's performance and operational flexibility at various altitudes, the flight highlighted the sensors' combined maritime surveillance capabilities and network connectivity when operating together on one platform. The flight demonstrated many of the capabilities outlined in the US Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance requirement. The SeaVue family of radars is designed to detect small maritime targets in high seas and provide superior maritime situational awareness. The system's flexible architecture would enable it to meet a wide variety of surveillance requirements and support multiple missions. Depending on the configuration, typical missions include maritime surface search and target tracking, ship imaging and classification, overland mapping, search and rescue, weather avoidance and navigation, harbor and economic zone surveillance, and environmental monitoring such as oil spill detection and ice flow mapping. SeaVue was designed as a light weight, low cost, surveillance radar that can be easily installed on smaller aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned vehicles.
By 2006 the US Navy had stated that it wanted to procure a total of 110 BAMS UAVs. Potential competitors at the time included the Global Hawk and the Mariner (a maritime version of the Predator B UAV). The Navy's FY07-FY11 aircraft procurement plan called for procuring the first four BAMS UAVs in FY11. The first BAMSs were then expected to enter service in 2013.
As of March 2006 the BAMS UAV development start and initial operations capability had been delayed 18 months and three years respectively. If the BAMS UAV did not develop as planned or continues to experience schedule delays, the MMA was said to be its fallback and according to the Navy's analysis, the overall cost of the program would increase due to a need to procure additional MMA aircraft. In addition, a third element planned for the BAMS family of systems was the ACS. The ACS was intended to replace three current systems: the Army's Guardrail Common Sensor, Airborne Reconnaissance Low, and the Navy's EP-3. However, DoD issued a stop-work order to the ACS program prime contractor in September 2005 and terminated the contract in January 2006, because the airframe selected for the ACS could not accommodate the intended ACS mission equipment. Decisions concerning the ACS program that had not been made would determine whether the Navy participates in a future ACS program. In April 2006 it was also reported that the Navy was likely to have at least drafted requests for proposals for BAMS by October or November of that year.
As of March 2007 program development for the BAMS was scheduled to begin in October of that year, well after the initially planned timetable which had development commencing in the first quarter FY05. The US Navy decided not to allocate any funds to the BAMS program in FY06, pushing the proposed operational capability date back from 2010 to 2013. The source selection period, where program officers would designate critical technologies was scheduled for April through September 2007. Program officers are looking to only select techonlogies that are mature or approaching maturity prior to the development period in an attempt to shorten development time and reduce cost. In order to do this the Navy engaged industry in support of developing unmanned ISR mission performance metrics and capabilities within a family of systems, as well as, to gain insight into the state of industry research and technology. This was facilitated by the awarding of four contracts using a broad agency announcement in conjunction with the US Navy's Persistent Unmanned Maritime Airborne Surveillance (PUMAS) program. BAMS UAS program received the study results and hoped to use the information to develop technical baselines and assess program risks. In addition, the Navy was using its 2 Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) UAS to provide a rapid technology demonstration capability. GHMD data and test results were being used to refine BAMS UAS doctrine, CONOPS, tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The GAO reported in March 2008 that the BAMS UAS program planned to begin system development during the second quarter of FY08. The program was at the time evaluating proposals for source selection and developing documents to meet formal design decision requirements. The program previously planned to start system development by October 2007, but according to a program official, additional time was needed to evaluate contractor proposals. Program officials indicated that the system development solicitation requires critical technologies to be demonstrated in a relevant environment prior to contract award. The program was conducting a technology readiness assessment in parallel with source selection. BAMS UAS initial operational capability had also been delayed from FY13 to the last quarter of FY14.
BAMS UAS was working to evaluate technologies prior to the start of system development. As part of the previous Persistent Unmanned Maritime Airborne Surveillance effort, the program awarded contracts to develop mission performance metrics and determine capabilities necessary for optimal performance of the maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission within a family of systems.
Program officials were requiring contractors to identify critical technologies in their proposals as part of source selection. According to program officials, critical technologies had to be approaching maturity and demonstrated in a relevant environment prior to the start of system development.
BAMS UAS was intended to serve as an adjunct to the Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA). The Navy intended to position BAMS UAS mission crews with maritime patrol and reconnaissance forces personnel to allow operators to closely coordinate missions and utilize a common support infrastructure. If BAMS UAS did not develop as planned or continued to experience schedule delays, Navy officials stated that additional MMA would be purchased as a fallback, increasing the overall cost of the MMA program.
The Navy’s future EP-X electronic surveillance aircraft was also intended to be a part of the maritime patrol and reconnaissance forces family of systems as a replacement for the Navy's current airborne intelligence platform, the EP-3. According to BAMS UAS officials, the EP-X schedule would not affect the BAMS UAS program.
DOD was continuing to exchange information and coordinate with allied and friendly nations that had common maritime surveillance goals and objectives. Program officials indicated that Australia was participating in BAMS UAS pre-system development activities and had provided specific requirements that were included in the BAMS UAS solicitation as an option. Australia had also expressed interest in participating in the system development and demonstration phase of the program.
