Unattended ground sensors: another cued intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance asset of the submarine

Abstract

The Submarine . . . The Road Ahead document establishes the desired capabilities of the submarine in extending its reach and becoming a fully netted node within network-centric operations. As a network node, the submarine can receive, process, and share mission-critical distributed sensor data. Additionally, submarines can act as platforms for the deployment of submarine tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (STUAVs). STUAVs extend the capability to communicate critical data and deploy off-board sensor systems. Acting as a 'system administrator' of unattended ground sensors (UGS), the submarine extends its support to special operating forces (SOF) and clandestine intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) in access-denied areas. The submarine's stealthy long on-station presence provides for a non-provocative observation of adversary actions on land using unattended ground sensor systems which detect, monitor, and communicate targets of interest. The intent of this paper is to review the needed capability to maximize UGS capability while minimizing volume. UGS system deployment from a STUAV must be packaged in such a manner that the UGS system 1) will be a feasible payload of the STUAV, 2) will be deployed as part of a network grid, 3) will be embedded in the ground, 4) will support the needed duration, and 5) will be camouflaged for low probability of detection (LPD) and low probability of interception (LPI). Once deployed, UGS capabilities to detect, monitor, and relay information will provide another cued asset for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting (ISRT).