The U.S. Navy's Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) program, falling under the "Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation" (RDT&E) category with the designation 0604636N, aims to protect critical Navy assets from threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including surveillance, espionage, and hostile actions. The budget request for the fiscal year 2024 is $11.6 million.
The main objective of the program is to create an integrated Family of Systems (FoS) with advanced target recognition and engagement capabilities that meet the requirements of the fleet. To achieve this, plans include refining materiel solutions, conducting threat assessments, identifying and developing advanced target recognition and engagement technologies, and creating prototypes for integration into the C-UAS FoS.
Furthermore, the program seeks to improve interoperability between shore-based and shipboard C-UAS systems, as well as develop additional detection and deterrence capabilities in partnership with the Joint C-UAS Office.
Within the PE 0604636N program, Project 2073 focuses on the DRAKE 2.0 C-UAS Afloat system – an electronic warfare (EW) system designed to protect naval ship formations. DRAKE 2.0 is intended for detecting, identifying, tracking, and engaging small UAVs (sUAS) that pose a threat to naval forces.
Specific project goals include upgrading the DRAKE system with improved radios, processors, and displays for more effective countering of modern commercial sUAS. There are also plans to integrate the DRAKE system with shipboard command and control (C2) systems to optimize antennas used in C-sUAS missions, enhancing ships' situational awareness and effectiveness in countering UAV threats.
Planned activities include completing the integration of NextGen SDR hardware and software (Increment 1), developing and testing advanced methods to combat new threats, continuing testing and evaluation of NextGen SDR hardware and software, developing the CUAS software application for CDU 2.0 (Control Display Unit), providing a limited number of CDU 2.0 units for technology demonstration to DRAKE operators, and initiating the development of an optimized antenna (Increment 2), docking station, and integration with C2 systems.
DARPA&CIA