DESCRIPTION
Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered (PSS-T) delivers tactical and fixed site aerostats to exploit a full range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), force protection and communications capabilities to joint, interagency and multinational organizations.
BENEFIT TO THE SOLDIER
PSS-T provides combat-proven capability that addresses two of the current intelligence capability gaps in the collection and intelligence enterprise. PSS-T is a highly persistent low-altitude platform that offers inherent cost savings per flight hour as compared to current manned and unmanned airborne ISR assets.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Retains medium and large aerostat platforms to meet future expeditionary and contingency needs for persistent surveillance, information collection, force protection enhancement and as a platform for Army Aerial Layer Network Transport
- Highly persistent and flexible multisensor information collection platform that will be integrated with other aerial and unattended ground sensor systems to provide slew-to-cue capability
- Provides 360 degree detection, surveillance, monitoring and targeting capability through real-time full motion video, electro-optical/infrared and wide area, all-weather detection of moving vehicle and dismount targets
PROGRAM STATUS
Current:
- Participating in the United Vision 18 international Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance exercise by connecting to the Battlefield Information
- Collection and Exploitation Systems network via Very Small Aperture Terminal from Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
- Fielding a 28M aerostat variant to Afghanistan in support of an operational needs statement to address PSS-T survivability issues
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
FY19-FY23:
- Incrementally modernize aerostat systems to mitigate obsolescence, increase effectiveness and reduce breakaways
- System modernization will provide survivability and capability improvements to the tether and envelope and will reduce sustainment costs. Common mooring platforms will support various envelope sizes, thus decreasing the logistical footprint which will address obsolescence and create an adaptive interchangeable platform that could support both short- and long-term missions
