Submission of proposals
U.S. Army Aviation Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AVRDEC)
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| U.S. Army Aviation Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AVRDEC)
A00-030 TITLE: Low Conductivity for Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes DOD ACQUISITION PROGRAM SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM: Program Manager, Utility Helicopters OBJECTIVE: The objective of this effort is to develop a new generation low conductivity Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) that enables a higher allowable gas temperature, to 2800 deg. F , without increasing the component’s requirement for cooling air. This technology which will increase rotor inlet temperature, reduce specific fuel consumption (SFC) and increase engine horsepower will have a positive impact on reducing Operating & Support (O&S) costs for future helicopters. DESCRIPTION: Under the IHPTET program the phase III turbine system objectives address increases in efficiency and rotor inlet temperature, and decreases in cooling flow and weight requirements. In order to meet performance requirements increased turbine-operating temperatures are necessary. Turbine components are already operating in a variety of aggressive environments making them susceptible to surface and mechanical property degradation. Current TBCs that are being used in engine applications commonly fail due to premature spall of the ceramic coating during thermal or thermomechanical load cycling which a coated component experiences during engine operation. For successful operation of engine components at even higher temperatures, new and improved TBCs must be developed. A new generation low conductivity TBC will allow higher turbine inlet temperatures to be employed providing improvements in SFC and Power for the engine. PHASE I: Working with a gas turbine engine manufacturer, identify and demonstrate the feasibility of a new generation low conductivity TBC that enable gas temperatures to reach 2800 deg. F with a specific conductivity goal of 0.25 to 0.5 W/MK. PHASE II: In conjunction with a gas turbine engine manufacturer and utilizing the results from Phase I, further develop and demonstrate the new TBC on an engine component for the hot section. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The resulting technology will be beneficial to both the military and commercial sectors, being applicable to a wide variety of applications such as the tank, automotive, aircraft, as well as, any other market using engines. OPERATING AND SUPPORT COST (OSCR) REDUCTION: Technologies which provide increases in rotor inlet temperature, reductions in SFC and increases in engine horsepower have a positive impact on reducing O&S costs for future helicopters. REFERENCES: (1) Strangman, T.E., 1985, “Thermal Barrier Coatings for Turbine Airfoils”, Thin Solid Films, Vol. 127, pp. 93-105. (2) Herman, H. and Shanker, N.R., 1987, “Survivability of Thermal Barrier Coatings”, Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 88, pp69-74. (3) Andersson, C.A., et al., 1982, “Advanced Ceramic Coating Development for Industrial/Utility Gas Turbine Applications”, NASA CR-165619. KEYWORDS: TBC, Coatings, Low Conductivity A00-031 TITLE: Comanche Tactics and Survivability Expert Planner TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Human Systems DOD ACQUISITION PROGRAM SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM: Assistant Project Manager, Comanche Program Managers Office OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the Comanche Tactics and Survivability Expert planner are to provide the pilot with identification, rapid prototype development and assessment of information system/AI technologies to support Comanche tactics training, planning, and informed weapon system employment. DESCRIPTION: The development of Cognitive Decision Aiding processes for the Comanche are critical to the mission effectiveness of the platform. With multiple sensors, RF information, and accurate navigation systems the pilot's ability to accurately correlate multiply sets of data and make correct decisions will be difficult without the use of a Tactics Expert Function. The Comanche Tactics and Survivability Expert Planner will enable the weapon system in achieving enhanced survivability and target lethality. The Comanche weapon system incorporates significant technical advances in virtually all its major subsystems. To fully exploit the potential of this advanced, multi-mission weapon system there is a need for effective planners and decision aids to support mission planning and tactical employment. A Tactics Expert system is needed to identify aircraft vulnerability to threat detection and indicate/recommend courses of action that maximize target detection/kill while minimizing own-ship vulnerability. Of particular interest are technologies that can support real-time/near real-time operations. Research is needed to identify integrated solutions that provide a linkage between training/planning and real-time decision support. In addition, approaches are needed that foster cognitive readiness of the crews through consistent and reinforcing tools and methods that transition from training and planning to tactical decision support. The sought after solution will incorporate the effects of significant battlefield conditions including environments, threat capabilities and weapon system operational modes and expected performance. The approach should also provide for learning and adaptation of the model based on actual experience; for example during the course of a campaign the system should be capable of self-update based on the current conditions and mission results. The cockpit implementation must be capable of rapid execution to support real-time/near real-time crew interaction. Therefore, the research effort should emphasize rapid prototyping and assessment environments to support investigation of alternative tactical display and decision aid approaches with particular emphasis on crew/weapon system interaction and decision support needs and processes. PHASE I: Technology survey and assessment vs. the need. Develop demonstration level applications of promising technologies. PHASE II: Rapid prototype development and assessment of technologies identified in Phase I. The focus of Phase II will be on key planning functions. PHASE III DUAL USE APPICATIONS: Phase III will implement the Tactics Expert Planner developed in Phase II, and will assess real-time application of the Tactics Expert for Comanche deployment. Potential military applications for the Tactics Expert (beyond Comanche) include other Army aviation platforms, Air and Missile Defense Deployment and Fire Control, and MLRS re-supply planning. Decision support technology (including near real-time capability) resulting from this effort would have significant commercial potential. For example, e-commerce is a strong candidate. In this application rapid decisions that generate tailored proposals to the specific business conditions is a critical need. Data Mining is a second major area for spin-off applications. Relevant data mining applications include Credit Experts, Inventory Expert Planners and Logistics Expert Planners. REFERENCES: 1. Dawid, P. 1992, "Applications of a general propagation algorithm for probabilistic expert systems", Statistics and Computing, 2: 25-36. 2. Heckerman, D. 1997, "Bayesian Networks for Data Mining", Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, 1: 79-119 3. Musman, S., Chang, L.W., Booker, L. 1993, "Application of a Real-Time Control Strategy for Bayesian Networks to Ship Classification Problem Solving", International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial intelligence, Vol. 7, No. 3. 4. Oliver, R., and Smith, J., Influence Diagrams, Belief Nets, and Decision Analysis, Wiley, 1990. 5. Pearl, J. 1986, "Fusion, propagation and structuring in Belief Networks", Artificial Intelligence", 29: 241-288. 6. Spiegelhalter, D., and Lauritzen, S., and Cowell, R. 1993, "Bayesian analysis in Expert Systems", statistical Science, 8: 219-282. KEYWORDS: Expert system, decision aid, tactics expert, survivability planner, cognitive readiness, information system (IT), AI A00-032 TITLE: Wing-Store Unmanned Aerial Vehicle TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The objective of this program is to develop and demonstrate an air-launch, wing-store unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for target acquisition and battle damage assessment (BDA) to improve helicopter aircrew situational awareness, effectiveness, and survivability. DESCRIPTION: Current UAV systems rely on Ground Control Stations and nearby launch/landing sites to conduct teaming operations (UAV working with helicopter). Furthermore, for the UAV and manned helicopter to work together, in-depth coordination and communication must take place between the GCS and the aircrew. A UAV that can be carried, launched and controlled by the air platform itself will greatly increase the aircrew's autonomy and reduce communication and coordination with range limiting GCS's. The wing-store UAV will provide the attack/reconnaissance/surveillance aircrew with an expendable, off-aircraft sensor that they can use at their discretion when they need to. Situations may include: identifying enemy locations, assessing safe ingress/egress routes, acquiring targets, acting as a decoy or communications relay platform, and performing battle damage assessment. The wing-store UAV would be programmed by the aircrew and then launched. During the programmed route/loiter the UAV would transmit video images to the aircrew and to ground forces, as required. The UAV will incorporate an in-flight, re-programmable capability so that the aircrew can redirect the UAV for follow-on tasking. Helicopters that the wing-store UAV are envisioned to team with include: AH-64 Apache, RAH-66 Comanche, UH-60 Blackhawk, and SOF platforms. GOALS: Cost goal is under $20k. Other goals include: flight programmable, range of 50 km, weight less than 75 lbs, flight time greater than 60 minutes with time to target at 25km under 6 minutes (~ 135 kts), and loiter time at least 45 minutes. PHASE I: The Contractor would be expected to perform a preliminary design study of the wing-store UAV, propose a vehicle design that would meet the concept, and provide a preliminary cost estimate (per unit) for production quantities of 100, 500, and 1,000 units. Proposals would be expected to address the air vehicle, sensor package, data transmission, method of launch, and issues that would effect air-launch such as movement of launching aircraft (hover/forward flight) and helicopter downwash. PHASE II: The Contractor would be expected to develop the wing-store UAV based on the preliminary design from phase I, integrate the hardware and software into a prototype vehicle, refine the per unit cost estimate, test and demonstrate the vehicle. Demonstration would be expected to include flight of the UAV with preprogrammed waypoints, sensor demonstration with video link to a ground station, and in-flight retask. PHASE III: The Contractor would be expected to further develop the wing-store UAV and perform a flight demonstration of the system with air-launch from a manned helicopter. Launch and mission accomplishment would be assessed. Commercial applications such as search & rescue and aerial police surveillance would be explored. REFERENCES: Herrick, Katrina, Highlights of Trends and Growth in Civil UAV Markets, December 1998 http://www.auvsi.org/auvsicc/faaisg/ppt/markets.htm Hewish, Mark. "A Bird in the Hand", Jane's International Defense Review, Nov 99, pp. 22-28. Kumar, Rajesh. Tactical Reconnaissance: UAVs Versus Manned Aircraft, March 1997 http://www.au.af.mil/au/database/projects/ay1997/acsc/97-0349.pdf Peterson, Maj Allen L. and Kuck, Kristopher F. "Teaming Airborne Manned and Unmanned Systems", Army Research Development and Acquisition, Jan-Feb 99, PB 70-99-1, pp. 39-40. SWB Turbines, Inc. http://www.swbturbines.com Wullenjohn, Chuck. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Demonstrated Where They're Tested", Army Research, Development and Acquisition, Nov-Dec 98, PB 70-98-6, pp. 30-31. KEYWORDS: Sensors, UAV, wing-store, air-launch, manned-unmanned, teaming. Download 1.22 Mb. Share with your friends:
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