PDW’s flagship C100 platform now supports a new suite of Multi-Mission Payloads (MMP) specifically focused on transforming and enhancing mission sets in contested environments. Providing critical battlefield capabilities to operators, MMPs enable the C100 to navigate through contested environments without GPS, expand the operational reach of the forward line of troops, and provide an added layer of situational awareness to ground force commanders for EM Spectrum Operations.
PDW was recently awarded a $20.9 million award from the U.S. Army to supply C100 UAS and MMPs in support of the Army’s ‘Transformation in Contact’ (TiC) initiative. Initially designed for the Army’s emerging requirements, this new solution set is now in production and available to new and existing customers looking to expand operational capability.
Built to complement the C100 platform’s capabilities, the MMP lineup provides teams with a position of advantage and organic overwatch capabilities during direct action missions, all while maintaining the C100’s signature portability and tactical edge.
This product update enhances capabilities through native software and partner hardware upgrades, including Communications Relay and Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) Extension; Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT); and Spectrum Awareness (SIGINT).
“The C100’s MMPs provide three specific capabilities identified as critical needs by the Army,” said PDW CEO and cofounder Ryan Gury. “Any military unit operating in contested environments would benefit from these capabilities and we are actively producing and ready to deliver on this need.”
To bring these capabilities to the market, PDW partnered with industry leaders that are existing Army suppliers with high technology readiness level (TRL) products. The three payloads for MMP are the CACI Mastodon FireBeast, Silvus StreamCaster MANET communication relay, and PDW A-PNT Vision-Based Navigation.
- Spectrum Awareness (Mastodon FireBeast): A Multi-Channel Transceiver designed to support signal detections and direction-finding of adversary signals of interest (SOIs). This capability significantly enhances the C100’s situational awareness, threat mitigation, and operational flexibility.
- MANET Communications Relay (Silvus StreamCaster): A single-radio solution that unites multiple assets in a self-forming mesh network to enable BVLOS relay, and extended MANET. Designed to provide radio and network extension across the formation, StreamCaster greatly boosts the C100’s communication range, enables high-bandwidth radio transmission for ISR missions, and increases signal resilience in contested environments.
- PDW A-PNT (Vision Based Navigation): A software agnostic sense and compute module complete with a Visual Based Navigation (VBN) software solution. This will enable the C100 to start and complete missions via visual cues when traditional navigation methods are unavailable due to jammed, spoofed, or unavailable GPS signals.
MMPs can be integrated into new or existing C100 Mission Systems with the addition of preconfigured mounts and software updates. C100s can also be acquired in the MMP configuration, with payloads pre-integrated and ready to rapidly swap as required. PDW’s training has been updated to provide MMP-focused interoperability and best practices. Learn more about the C100 capabilities and MMP payload suite at www.pdw.ai.