DOD JPADS Programs Overview and Nato Activities

Abstract

The US Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) have teamed with all Department of Defense (DoD) services and organizations with interest in programs and investments in Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) technology and systems. These organizations include: Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to include: Joint Staff (JS); Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ALT); Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E), Advanced Systems and Concepts (AS&C), Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), US Air Force Air Mobility Command (USAF AMC), USAF Air Mobility Warfare Center (AMWC), the US Army Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PM-FSS), US Marine Corps (USMC), US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and many other government agencies and contractors to plan and execute JPADS programs. This paper will provide an overview of some of the DoD JPADS programs to include: Results of the JPADS Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD), recent Joint Military Utility Assessment (JMUA) # 2, The US Army Formal Program of Record (PoR) for the JPADS Extra Light (700-2200lb capability), Rapid Combat Fielding (RCFs) Initiatives for JPADS 2,200lb systems and early results and lessons learned from Combat Operations, the recently started Wireless Gate Rrelease System (WGRS), and related precision airdrop activities within NATO. I. Department of Defense JPADS Program Overview The purpose of the JPADS is to meet the Combatant Commanders (COCOM) requirement of sustaining combat power using high altitude, precision airdrop as a direct and theater delivery method, into a dynamic, dispersed, and unsecured battlespace. This must be done with speed and flexibility to provide an optional capability previously unavailable to the COCOM, and to enable decisive operational superiority. JPADS is a family of systems consisting of self guided cargo parachute systems (Army lead), and a common laptop mission planning (MP) and weather system (USAF lead) with numerous additional partners. The JPADS family includes, • JPADS Extra Light (XL) weight range: 700-2,400 lbs. • JPADS-Light (L): 5001 lbs-10K lbs: Currently an ACTD. • JPADS-Medium (M): up to 30K lbs, a US Army Technology Objective (ATO) • JPADS-Mission Planner (MP): The JPADS-Mission Planner is a snap-on/snap-off kit for use in C-130s, C-17s, CASAs, and other aircraft to determine optimum Computed Aerial Release Points (CARPs). MP collects and assimilates weather and programs JPADS cargo systems wirelessly in the aircraft just prior to exit. The MP produces JPADS Launch Acceptability Regions (LARs) within which the systems can be dropped to get to their planned Point of Impact (PI) and also wirelessly updates JPADS Airborne Guidance Units (AGUs) with new PIs (if desired) just prior to aircraft exit. The MP is also used for high altitude "dumb" airdrops also known as Improved Container Delivery System (ICDS). The lead for JPADS requirements is the US Army Comb...

Robust Parafoil Terminal Guidance Using Massively Parallel Processing

“…A, B, C = discrete system state space matrices B = discrete model control sensitivity D = distance of the turn initial point with respect to the target H p = discrete prediction horizon i T , j T , k T = target frame unit vectors L = distance to target along target line Q, R = positive semi-definite error and control penalty matrices r = parafoil yaw rate R = final turn radius t 0 = time final turn begins t 1 = time final approach begins t 2 = time of predicted impact T app , des app T = final approach time and desired final approach time t pre = final turn advance timing U = discrete optimal control vector h V , v V = parafoil horizontal and vertical speed W x , W y = target frame wind speed components x, y, z = parafoil inertial positions in the target frame x = parafoil model state vector δ a = parafoil asymmetric brake deflection ∆ = predictive controller discrete sampling period = final turn time ψ = parafoil Euler yaw angle ψ F = final approach angle ̇ = final turn rate ̂ = desired and estimated output vectors σ = impact statistics vector from GPU τ = turning time constant…”

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Stratospheric Satellites for Earth Observations

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