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Low Cost Autonomous Attack System
Lockheed Martin
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 The Low Cost Autonomous Attack
System (LOCAAS) is currently in a final system development phase,
as part of the US Air Force Wide Area Search Munition Program.
LOCAAS is designed as an un-powered or powered, brilliant
submunitions. The 36 inch long powered system weighs about 90
pounds, has a miniature 30 pound thrust turbo-jet engine, and a
range beyond 100 nautical miles. It is equipped with a laser radar
sensor, sophisticated image processing electronics, full authority
flight control system and multi-mode warhead.
 LOCAAS is designed to attack high priority mobile or relocateable
targets, armored or soft targets with high precision. The weapon
can loiter at an altitude of 750 feet over the battlefield, flying
at a speed of 200 knots for about 30 minutes, covering a footprint
of 25 square nautical miles, and take out high-priority targets
such as mobile air defenses, mobile surface/surface missile
launchers and long range rocket systems. This weapon is
particularly useful at the early stages of a conflict, when the
exact locations of such targets is unknown and when operations of
manned aircraft and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) is too
dangerous or too costly.
LOCAS is equipped with a multimode, explosively-formed penetrator
warhead and programmable fuse to engage the target according to
its protection level. The warhead can be configured to explode
into an armor piercing long rod penetrator, an aerostable slug
against softer targets, or as fragments when engage exposed
personnel and unprotected targets. The exact aimpoint and warhead
mode are automatically determined by the LADAR
fire control system.
LOCAAS' LADAR sensor can be used to guide smart munitions, as well
as providing targeting and fire control for associated systems.
Prior to the mission, the flight plan and general search area
assigned for patrol are uploaded to the weapons. LADAR enables the
weapon to find, track, identifies and engage specific target
vehicles while ignoring other targets which are defined as "low
priority" or "non-combatant". In tests, LOCAS searched a large
area for SA-8 and Scud-B targets, detected but ignored T-72 tanks,
which were defined as "low priority" targets, and finally located,
identified and engaged the SA-8 mobile SAM targets. Four LOCAAS
weapons can be carried as submunitions by standard SUU-64 tactical
munitions dispenser, with or without Wind Corrected Munitions
Dispenser (WCMD), Four such bombs can be carried by F-16s, with a
total load of 16 submunitions per aircraft. 20 LOCAAS weapons can
be carried internally by F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike
Fighters. Internal carriage can also be provided by B-1 Lancer,
and B-2 Spirit bombers as well as by various land based systems,
including advanced versions of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)
rocket Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile.
Other applications are considered for naval use, as part of the
Lockheed Martin/US Navy VLAAS concept. As LOCAAS are released over
the area of operation, they use Global Positioning System
(GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) to navigate through
several waypoints enroute to the assigned target area. LOCAAS can
operate singularly or in coordinated "swarms", where they maintain
open communications with each other and with the mission control.
Swarms are providing real-time intelligence and live target
information from a wide area of operation. When targets of
opportunity or priority targets are located, when assigned an
autonomous mission over enemy area, the swarm will "vote" about
the best weapon positioned to engage it. Collaborative targeting
is also provided by the use of beyond line of sight data Link,
which communicates between the LOCAAS and remote operator, to
sustain "man-in-the-loop" capability especially against moving
targets. |
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