C-Strike

Close Air Support (CAS) is playing an increasing role in military operations. The emphasis on Special Operations in recent years has increased the combat range of small units, often sending squad-sized units hundreds of miles behind enemy lines. Small units rely on stealth and airpower. They remain covert, but when they are discovered, they call in airpower to keep from being outgunned. All too often, unfortunately, air support is not available quickly enough. What is needed is an unmanned weapons platform that can be airborne 24/7 to provide CAS for small units. The overall goal of this multi-phase SBIR project is to develop a transformational CAS system that will allow small-unit operators to control unmanned CAS assets from a handheld controller. The soldiers will be able to request unmanned air support, target enemy positions, and fire the weapons. The soldiers will use a visual control system to guide weapons. A successful Phase I will lead to a Phase II prototype-development program. We will develop a working model of the C-Strike CAS system to validate our approach. Phase III will involve partnering with manufacturers to finalize engineering of the weapons system and to integrate it onto a UAV for flight testing.