HOME SERVICES ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTACT

Current OPTEC personnel designed, developed, integrated or tested the following major segments; which, when operated together, made up the USMC Tier II Concept Demonstrator Program.  This program literally went from the drawing board to field operations in only 120 days*.  Additionally, the fact that no one “system component” could exceed the Marine two person lift requirement of 150 pounds, made system design, integration and logistics even more of a challenge.

  • Airborne Segment
  • Five T-16 Fully Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft
  • Small Engine Development Program 
  • Gasoline Engine, to include miniaturized Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) system development and “real time” fuel indication components.
  • Heavy Fuel (Diesel) engine development and emerging technology program.
  • Autopilot, GPS and Avionics system
  • Surveillance payloads, to include multi axis gimbal, EO/IR and laser integration
  • Command and Control (C2) Links 
  • Airborne video transmission equipment and associated data links
  • To include ROVER III component integration

Ground Control Station/Exploitation Segment

  • Capitalized on CONOPS/CONEMPS experiences to build customized/user friendly GCS.
  • Use of Single (or chain of) Ground Control Stations (depending on configuration required)
  • Linked by either high speed TCP/IP fiber optic lines or airborne data links
  • Specifically integrated USMC GCS to be NATO STANAG compliant.
  • Integrated all electronics for communications to and from each ground station, and to and from each aircraft for control of the air vehicle, its onboard sensors, video and C2 links.
  • Included linking to fixed/remote ground based sensors as required.
  • Exploitation 
  • Data from UAV processed and displayed Near Real Time (NRT) in GCS
  • Video with metadata stream and GCS “archive” capability  
  • Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) “alerting” capability
  • Enhanced Video Stabilization via post processing hardware and software.
  • Target Location Error (TLE) less than 10 meters.

Launcher/Transporter Segment and Specific Ground Support Equipment.

  • Customized “dual purpose” pneumatic launcher/transporter system.
  • HMMWV tow able and air transportable by helicopter.
  • Adapted to M1102 Light Tactical Trailer with custom “helmet” cover
  • Extremely small “mobility footprint”--Entire ACTD system fit within trailer.
  • Launcher pneumatically fired using high pressure “dry” air via SCUBA compressor.
  • Net Capture Recovery System 
  • Designed to “catch” AV if sensor can not be retracted.
  • This technology/capability is extremely important for any future “shipboard operations”
  • Wrote all Technical Manuals and Training Curriculum

*The USMC Tier II System was tested under simulated combat field conditions at NWC China Lake 

  • Stood up 53d Test Evaluation and Test Group, Detachment 2, Beale AFB CA (2003)
  • RQ-4 (Global Hawk) and U-2 Aircraft, Air and Ground End-to-End Testing and Evaluation Unit
  • Provided analytic, advisory and technical support through planning, conducting and reporting test and evaluation in support of systems acquisition and sustainment. 
  • Participated in and provide integrated support for design reviews, Test Plan Working Groups, (TPWG), and other test planning activities. 
  • Participated in system safety documentation and reviews dealing with both functional and overall test issues. 
  • Maintained knowledge and technical understanding of a wide diversity of test and engineering disciplines, including systems, aeronautical, electrical and mechanical and measurement; knowledge of existing highly structured Government programs and related special documentation requirements and management procedures to establish unique and peculiar procedures for the systems under test; ability to plan and organize work and coordinate with other engineering and test disciplines, quality processes, understanding of engineering principles, competency in acquisition program management concepts, and technical knowledge across multiple interrelated and integrated technical and test disciplines. 
  • Ensured all proposed testing and integration efforts were sufficiently well defined and properly scheduled into master plan and wing activities.

Fielded  the following U-2 Aircraft ISR Weapon Systems:
o ASARS-2A **

  • Improved Quality Imagine Program (IQIP) FDE successfully directed test on newly software upgrade to enhance the image quality of the ASARS-2A sensor. 
  • Coordinated airborne and ground efforts to conduct final software upgrades to the ASARS-2A sensor.
  • Dual Data Link 2**
  • Deployed to Al Dhafra AB U.A.E. to perform the DDL 2 OCONUS flight test assessment.
  • Establish coordination efforts with MX, OPs and CAOC to detail timeline efforts for the DDL 2 assessment.
  • Developed and wrote CONOPS with Army TES in the AOR to ensure the Dual Line of Sight test objectives are met.
  • Coordinated and directed 7 OCONUS Dual Data Link 2 operational assessment flights--system went operational after testing was complete.

AN/ALQ 221 Electronic Warfare System**

  • Coordinating test planning efforts for the AN/ALQ-221 Block Cycle updates with Lockheed Martin. 
  • Co-authored combined DT/OT test plan.** These systems were operationally flight tested in CENTAF in the UAE
  • Led initial integration efforts for the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) program (for both the U-2 and RQ-4) and SYERS-2A and Optical Bar Camera (OBC) for the U-2.
  • Contracted by NASA to conduct ACTD Global Hawk Maintenance Analysis; instrumental in securing transfer of AV1 and AV6 from USAF to NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.