A persistent presence above the battlefield provides for distinct advantages in areas of operation. Aerial platforms can suspend surveillance, SIGINT and C3 payloads aloft for the use of operators and observers. These resources are often most effective when they can be deployed instantly. KaZaK proposes a missile delivered aerial platform with a modular, high-capacity payload allowing operators to place communications or intelligence equipment above an AO within seconds of a launch order. Currently, three technologies are available to perform this mission: lighter-than-air, fixed wing and rotary wing. KaZaK proposes a collapsible fixed wing vehicle as the payload platform. Initial conceptual design shows that the fixed wing planform is 98% smaller than the lighter-than-air option and requires a 90% smaller engine than the rotary wing option. The Phase I effort includes development of vehicle designs, missile integration, high-speed deployment risk mitigation and performance analysis to position for a Phase II prototype build. Design criteria include providing a large payload capacity, +2 hours of endurance, autonomous station-keeping orbit, missile payload geometry conformance and maintaining missile mass properties. The resulting system will launch, rapidly transit to an area of interest, deploy an aerial vehicle and remain aloft for the duration of the mission.
Keywords: Missile, Communication, Relay, Compressed Airframe, Deployable Aircraft, Air-Launch, Uav, Uas
