Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS)

Mission — Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) source

The Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) program employs integrated C-UAS solution sets designed to protect high value or critical Naval assets from surveillance, or hostile threats posed from the inadvertent or unlawful misuse of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The C-UAS program provides an integrated Family of Systems (FoS) employing advanced target discrimination and defeat capabilities to meet fleet requirements. More details available at a higher classification level. FY 2026 funding is requested to continue management and implementation of system assessment. Provide program management and systems engineering support for the technology development and acquisition strategy for fielding material solution. Funding provides for refinement of material solutions, threat assessments, identification and development of advanced target discrimination, defeat capabilities, and prototype development for integration into the C-UAS FoS. Continues refinement of open architecture solution and interoperability standards for a C-UAS FoS. In partnership with the Joint C-UAS Office (JCO), will identify or develop additional detect and deter capabilities to integrate into the C-UAS FoS. As the JCO designated CORIAN Acquisition Lead, continued development, implementation and integration of additional sensor modalities to improve system detect/ID/track/defeat capabilities. Continues efforts to improve interoperability between ashore and afloat C-UAS systems.

Mission — DRAKE 2.0 C-UAS Afloat source

The DRAKE Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) is an Electronic Warfare (EW) Force Protection system designed to detect, identify, track, and defeat small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for afloat naval forces. The DRAKE system will be upgraded with improved radios, processors, and display units to meet the non-kinetic requirements established in the OPNAV DRAKE Top Level Requirement (TLR). The program will utilize Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware for the display and custom, software and hardware in the Increment 1 tech refresh. Increment 1 upgrades will focus on refreshing the core technology to replace legacy hardware with the latest processors/controllers, which will significantly increase signal processing speed and bandwidth (NextGen SDR). These improvements will enable the system to counter more advanced commercial sUAS efficiently. A COTS tablet-like Graphical User Interface (GUI) called the Control Display Unit (CDU) 2.0 will replace the legacy CDU, providing enhanced visual tracking and identification data of UAS. This upgrade will ultimately improve situational awareness and signal analysis for the warfighter. In Increment 2, the DRAKE system will be integrated with ships' Command and Control with optimized antennas for C-sUAS mission to enhance ships' situational awareness and prosecution of UAS threats. Prior to FY23, DRAKE C-UAS funding can be found in PE 0603654N/Project 3177.

Mission — Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) source

The Counter small Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-sUAS) Family of Systems (FoS) program was funded to provide initial material solutions to SECNAV-prioritized locations CONUS and OCONUS with baseline electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to detect, track, identify, and defeat sUAS over a large coverage area. Following initial material deployment, the program continues to expand the capabilities of select, high priority systems and adapt new solutions to defeat evolving threats. The initial material solution included CORIAN, Ninja, DroneDefender, and DroneBuster. Expanded solutions include EO/IR, radar, C2, new EW detect/defeat capabilities, alternative sensors, and additional kinetic and non-kinetic mitigations needed to prepare, maintain, and upkeep force protection, self-defense and operational capabilities against the ever-evolving sUAS threat. Funding is provided to protect high-value and/or critical Navy assets and support public safety against threats by inadvertent or unlawful misuse of sUAS. FY26 increase provides for C-sUAS implementation of the first phase for hardware tech refresh to identify solutions for the End of Life (EoL) hardware fielded at CORIAN sites. This funding will provide system assessments, intra-service technology capitalization, and refinement of open architecture solutions and interoperability standards for a C-sUAS FoS. It will also align with Joint C-sUAS Office (JCO) currently funded efforts, allowing the Program the ability to resource to identify and develop additional capabilities to detect and deter threats against the Fleet that can be integrated into C-sUAS FoS. Funding also provides for government engineering support for the technology development and acquisition strategy for fielding material solutions.

Mission — Congressional Adds source

The DRAKE Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) is an Electronic Warfare (EW) Force Protection system designed to detect, identify, track, and defeat small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for afloat naval forces. To meet the non-kinetic requirements established in the OPNAV Top Level Requirement (TLR) for Afloat CUAS, the DRAKE system will be upgraded with improved radios, processors, and display units. The program will utilize Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware, software, and advanced techniques to develop, test, and integrate into DRAKE. Increment 1 upgrades will focus on refreshing the core technology to replace legacy hardware with the latest COTS processors/controllers, which will significantly increase signal processing speed and bandwidth (NextGen SDR). These improvements will enable the system to counter more advanced commercial sUAS efficiently. A COTS tablet-like Graphical User Interface (GUI) called the Control Display Unit (CDU) 2.0 will replace the legacy CDU, providing enhanced visual tracking and identification data of UAS. This upgrade will ultimately improve situational awareness and signal analysis for the warfighter. In Increment 2, the DRAKE system will be integrated with ships' Command and Control with optimized antennas for C-sUAS mission to enhance ships' situational awareness and prosecution of UAS threats.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)