Navy to hold UAS re-supply demonstration this summer

By Audrey Decker / March 7, 2022 at 12:58 PM

The Navy will hold a logistics re-supply technology demonstration this summer to help develop the requirements and contracting strategy for future unmanned aircraft system programs of record.

The demonstration will inform opportunities for “spiral development of contracting strategies, logistical employment and platforms that can successfully meet the operational requirements,” according to a notice released Thursday.

Blue Water Logistics UAS, an autonomous resupply platform, will be demonstrated during the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Advanced Naval Technology Exercise this summer, the notice states.

The BWUAS project intends to accelerate the identification and evaluation of UAS platforms that can perform logistical resupply capabilities from shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore, according to the notice.

“NAWCAD is focused on systems that do not require dedicated launch and recovery equipment and can deliver critical equipment supporting distributed maritime operations,” the notice states.

Late last year, the Navy and Marine Corps demonstrated the resupply capabilities of BWUAS and the Marine-focused system Tactical Resupply UAS.

NAWCAD is supporting the Navy’s mission by rapidly integrating and delivering affordable capability to meet fleet requirements, according to Col. Victor Argobright, program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps small tactical unmanned aircraft systems program office.

“The Navy is aggressively pursuing unmanned capabilities to tackle today’s operational challenges. This objective is clearly outlined in the [Navy's] Unmanned Campaign Framework and requires innovative approaches to experiment, learn, evaluate; and rapidly field capability with the speed at which technology is pacing,” Argobright told Inside Defense in a statement.

Argobright said the continuing resolution, set to expire on March 11, is not affecting the effort.

While there isn’t a targeted number of programs of record the Navy wants to procure with this effort, Argobright said the results of the demonstration will inform the decision on future PORs.

“The results of this demonstration and evaluation will inform concept of operations development and the decision on future resource and procurement options/ alternatives,” he said.

The demonstration is the first step of a multi-phased spiral development selection process for the award of an other transaction prototype project, the notice states.

The first phase will result in up to four companies being offered Cooperative Research and Development Agreements “to demonstrate range and shipboard launch, recovery, and payload delivery at NAWCAD Webster Outlying Field, St. Inigoes, MD,” the notice states.

Based on phase one results, the Navy will award prototype OTs to up to four companies in phase two, which will take place in fiscal year 2023, according to the notice.

During phase three, in FY-24, the government will negotiate spiral development efforts under the OTs awarded in phase two, according to the notice.

“This phase is anticipated to include at a minimum a four-week fleet deployment to refine UAS logistical attributes and other associated fleet impacts,” the notice states.

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