Lockheed Martin demonstrates intelligent autonomous control of multiple unmanned systems

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has successfully demonstrated the Intelligent Control and Autonomous Re-planning of Unmanned Systems (ICARUS) suite of technologies as part of an exercise conducted August 12-14.

The Edge Command and Control/Hybrid Operations (ECC/HO) week-long exercise was conducted at the Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Dam Neck, Va. The exercise was part of the Navy Network Warfare Command's annual TRIDENT WARRIOR 08 technology insertion demonstration and was attended by representatives from numerous Navy commands.

The ECC/HO exercises consisted of a Tactical Operations Center operator working in conjunction with a mobile Command and Control (C2) unit and soldiers on-the-ground. Control of the sensors on-board the Desert Hawk III unmanned air vehicle and an unmanned surface vehicle was handed-off between ICARUS consoles within the Tactical Operations Center, the mobile C2 unit and soldiers on-the-ground as the mission unfolded. Throughout the live exercise, ICARUS dynamically planned and re-planned vehicle operations to meet task requests, enabling a single operator to play the role of a mission manager. The resulting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products were shared directly by all participants.

"The success of this demonstration further validates our ICARUS autonomous mission management system concept. We have shown that ICARUS decreases UAS operator workload while enabling control of a team of unmanned assets performing complex missions in dynamically changing environments," said John Clark, Lockheed Martin's ICARUS program manager.

ICARUS is a technology initiative to increase the autonomy in unmanned vehicles. The initiative is in its sixth year of development, led by the Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) organization of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., with support from Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Labs.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.