U.S. Army general touts MOSA as key to the future of vertical lift
NewsApril 27, 2023
ARMY AVIATION MISSION SOLUTIONS SUMMIT 2023--NASHVILLE, Tenn. The U.S. Army's push for open systems as part of the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) being adopted throughout the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will have significant impacts on the future of vertical lift in the Army, an official said here at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit 2023 (Quad-A) on Thursday.
During a panel discission, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Walter Rugen, Director of the Army's Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team, said that the Army needs hybrid technology capable of handling various threats, which will give the Army improved theater access, increased ability to see and strike from operational distances, and enhanced tactical edge capabilities.
MOSA will help with the push toward those hybrid capabilities because it enables the rapid integration of systems onto both crewed and uncrewed vehicles, which further enables the Army to maintain a competitive edge over adversaries, Rugen stated.
MOSA also facilitates mission command in degraded and denied environments, he asserted, which enables for the integration of survivable waveforms that enhance communication and the ability to call back to long-range fires, ensuring continued effectiveness even in the midst of battle.
MOSA has also established itself in the radio frequency (RF) domain, helping make the technology better able to electronically sense, protect, and attack, Rugen noted, adding that it enables nonlethal effects to be utilized effectively and allows for the seamless integration of various technologies without incurring excessive costs or delays.
Lastly, Rugen discussed the potential for launched effects or lethal ammunition to be used on the battlefield, pointing to the Modular Effects Launcher developed by Fulcrum, a small company working with the Army's Program Executive Office (PEO) Missiles and Space. This government-defined interface and standard enable a wide range of effects, he said, including cooperative engagements between electronic warfare (EW) pods and lethal munitions. Ultimately, Rugen said, MOSA enables commanders to tailor their combat platforms according to their perception of the fight, granting flexibility across crewed and uncrewed systems, as well as ground combat systems.
