Currently, the US Air Force, represented by the Research Laboratory (AFRL), is engaged in several promising programs in the field of unmanned technologies and guided weapons. One of them, Golden Horde ("Golden Horde"), is approaching the stage of flight tests. The first launches of "smart" weapons capable of interacting with each other will take place this year.
Latest news
The latest data on the "Golden Horde" was published on July 13 by Defense News. The information was received from the head of the AFRL Ammunition Directorate, Colonel Garry A. Haase, who oversees the promising program.
Colonel Haase recalled that within the framework of Golden Horde, two types of aviation weapons are being developed at once. For one of them, the CSDB-1 bomb, the hardware part of the control systems has already been developed. Now work is underway on software that can solve special problems. In parallel with the development, software testing is carried out, which makes it possible to identify all possible shortcomings in time.
AFRL is already planning flight tests of promising ASPs. The CSDB-1 bomb will be tested on the F-16 fighter. These events will start next fall or winter. In the summer of next year, tests of the second product from the Golden Horde will be launched. The CMALD smart decoy target will be tested with the B-52 long-range bomber.
The purpose of the first air bombs will be to test the operation of communications and to work out general issues of interaction between ammunition and carriers. In addition, the products will be checked in the simplest situations. For example, they investigate the ability of weapons to change their route when receiving new inputs. Due to such functions, bombs will be able to bypass enemy air defense zones and more effectively hit designated targets.
In the near future AFRL plans to place an order for the production of prototypes of two types for testing. There are no plans for serial production and deployment yet.
It takes less than two years to work out the main design and application issues. AFRL plans to start a new phase of testing in 2022. This time CSDB-1 and CMALD will be applied together in one operation. They will have to work as a single "swarm", interact with each other and solve rather complex combat missions.
Project components
The overall management of the Golden Horde program is the Air Force Research Laboratory. Several commercial organizations have been involved in the work. Some provided guided weapons of existing types, while others developed new control systems for them. The use of ready-made "platforms" and new management tools allows you to speed up and reduce the cost of work, as well as reduce some of the risks of a technical nature.
The CSDB-1 (Collaborative Small Diameter Bomb 1) bomb project is based on the GBU-39 SDB product from Boeing. New control equipment and software for it are being developed by Scientific Applications and Research Associates Inc. in conjunction with AFRL. The corresponding contract worth $ 100 million was signed last year.
Collaborative Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (CMALD) decoy target is based on the Raytheon ADM-160 MALD project. In this project, Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation is responsible for control systems. The corporation received $ 85 million for the development and production of new funds.
The revision of the existing ammunition consists in replacing the controls and guidance. The Golden Horde project uses more efficient computing systems. A fundamentally new software is also being developed. It should ensure not only the withdrawal of the ASP to the goal, but also respond to emerging challenges and threats. For this, the so-called. autonomy module - a collection of algorithms and reactions for all expected cases.
Serial aircraft of tactical and strategic aviation, which are in service with the US Air Force, are considered as carriers of the "Golden Horde". To use new types of weapons, they do not need serious modernization. Compatibility is ensured by a corresponding software update of the onboard weapons control equipment. At the same time, for a carrier aircraft, the use of Golden Horde will not fundamentally differ from the use of other aircraft weapons.
Principles and Benefits
The main goal of the current project is to create promising aircraft weapons with elements of artificial intelligence and capable of working independently, as well as in a "swarm" or "flock". It is expected that such ASPs will be distinguished by increased stability and survivability, as well as show advantages in efficiency.
The Golden Horde concept proposes to provide smart weapons with various data about the primary and secondary target, the situation in the area of its location, etc. In this case, the bomb can receive additional data after dropping from the carrier, as well as transmit information to it and maintain communication with other ASPs of the family.
After a reset, such an ASP must independently choose a route to the designated target, taking into account the known data on the situation and bypassing dangerous zones. The ammunition that has reached the given area will be able to exchange data and distribute the identified targets among themselves, strengthen the strike on priority ones, etc. In addition, it is possible to retarget the AAS after a reset or start.
In the future, as the "Golden Horde" develops and improves, it is possible to obtain fundamentally new opportunities. Tactical and strategic aircraft, as well as their ammunition, can be combined into an integrated information and control network, each element of which will be able to perform its functions and fully interact with others. In particular, any aircraft will be able to transmit target data to any bombs or missiles - and they will be able to distribute missions among themselves in the most efficient way.
One of several
It should be recalled that several programs are currently underway under the leadership of AFRL aimed at creating and improving network technologies for the Air Force. Projects Skyborg, Loyal Wingman, etc. provide for the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles capable of working in a "flock", incl. led by a manned aircraft. They will have to take on the most dangerous tasks, reducing the risks to humans.
Such UAV programs provide for the use of advanced onboard computing facilities, elements of artificial intelligence, etc. The Golden Horde program is based on similar principles, but in this case we are talking about the use of promising technologies on means of destruction.
Advanced programs should lead to a major change in the face of the US Air Force and the emergence of new unusual opportunities. The existing aircraft will be able to work with promising UAVs and, together with them, use the ASP with artificial intelligence. However, so far these are just plans. All promising programs are in their early stages and are still far from putting technology into practice.
The Golden Horde is already preparing for flight tests, which will begin in the fall and will take the next few years. Development of only two ammunition of this family will continue until at least 2022-23. It is not known what paths the further development of the program will take and how soon the finished products will go into service.
