The New Military Applications of Precision Airdrop Systems

Abstract : The US Army Natick Soldier Center (NSC) is teamed with the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), US Air Force Air Mobility Command (USAF AMC), the US Army Project Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PM-FSS), and under the oversight of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Advanced Systems and Concepts (AS&C) office, along with numerous other government agencies and contractors to plan and execute the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The purpose of the JPADS ACTD 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 battle space. This must be done with speed and flexibility to provide a capability previously unavailable to the COCOM, and to enable decisive operational superiority. This paper will provide an overview of the JPADS program goals and the status of the effort with flight test results to date. It will also highlight the research, technology and integration challenges associated with precision airdrop systems, and how the JPADS team is overcoming these challenges. This paper will also provide an overview of precision airdrop activities within a recently-established NATO Joint Precision Airdrop Capabilities Working Group (JPACWG).