Name: MOA-J
Brand: Caelus Industries

Tri-domain operational envelope

MOA-J transitions seamlessly between aerial, surface, and subsurface domains without operator intervention. Folding wing-mounted propellers retract on water entry; a rear-mounted ducted motor provides underwater propulsion. Hydrofoil-assisted takeoff enables air-to-surface and surface-to-air transitions with minimal forward velocity requirement. Near-neutral buoyancy maintains stable subsurface operation down to 500m depth.

Autonomous domain transition

Onboard Extended Kalman Filter fuses IMU, barometric, and depth sensor inputs to determine optimal transition timing. The platform executes water entry, surface transit, and aerial ascent autonomously — no operator input required post-mission-upload. Transition from submerged to airborne takes 8–12 seconds in nominal sea states.

Multi-modal communications

RF datalink (915 MHz / 2.4 GHz) provides real-time telemetry and command in aerial mode. Acoustic modem (12 kHz) enables subsurface control and positioning updates at reduced bandwidth. Mesh networking allows multi-platform coordination across mixed-domain swarms — aerial units relay commands to submerged assets.

Extended endurance hybrid propulsion

Dual operational profiles: high-speed aerial transit at 100+ mph cruise, or low-power subsurface loiter extending mission duration to 6+ hours. Lithium-polymer battery pack optimized for power density; thermal management handles both air-cooled aerial flight and convection-limited underwater operation.

LENGTH

~1.60 m

WINGSPAN

~2.40 m (deployed)

AIRFOIL

NACA 2412

PROPULSION (AERIAL)

2× wing-mounted brushless + folding props

PROPULSION (UNDERWATER)

1× rear ducted motor

DEPTH RATING

500 m

CRUISE SPEED (AIR)

100+ mph

ENDURANCE

6+ hours (mixed-domain)

COMMUNICATIONS

RF (air) / Acoustic (subsurface)

AUTOPILOT

Custom flight controller + depth control

SENSOR PAYLOAD

Multi-beam imaging sonar

SENSOR PAYLOAD

DVL (Doppler Velocity Log)

SENSOR PAYLOAD

USBL navigation

SENSOR PAYLOAD

Hydrophone / passive acoustic array

SENSOR PAYLOAD

EO/IR camera

SENSOR PAYLOAD

LED illumination array

Configuration A — ISR patrol

Extended-duration reconnaissance missions across littoral zones. Aerial transit to area of interest, subsurface approach for covert observation, surface data exfiltration via RF uplink. Sensor payload: EO/IR camera, hydrophone array, environmental sensors.

Configuration B — Oceanographic survey

Scientific data collection in mixed coastal/offshore environments. Automated waypoint navigation across air-sea interface; depth-profiled water sampling and acoustic mapping. Supports multi-platform coordinated surveys with real-time data relay.

Configuration C — Swarm node

Network-enabled platform for distributed sensing and communication relay. Aerial units maintain RF mesh backbone; subsurface units extend coverage below surface. Autonomous handoff maintains network continuity through domain transitions.

Configuration D — Subsea infrastructure ISR

Persistent surveillance of undersea cable routes, pipeline corridors, and seabed infrastructure. Multi-beam sonar maps cable burial transitions and repeater nodes; passive acoustic array collects signals intelligence along the route. Aerial transit delivers the platform to the area of interest; subsurface loiter conducts the survey autonomously. Data exfiltrated via RF burst on surface egress. No surface support vessel required.

Operational deployment

MOA-J launches from a pneumatic tube or hand-launch for aerial deployment, or direct water insertion for subsurface start. Mission waypoints, depth profiles, and transition triggers are pre-programmed via ground control software. Once deployed, the platform operates fully autonomously — surfacing only for data exfiltration or operator-commanded abort.

Argus GCS integration

Argus GCS provides mission planning, real-time telemetry visualization, and post-mission data review. Multi-platform coordination enables cueing handoff from MOA-J reconnaissance to MUKAGEN intercept or Condor strike engagement.

Third-party C2 compatibility

Compatible with STANAG 4609 KLV metadata for integration into existing C2 architectures. REST API available for custom integration workflows. Supports NATO-standard data links for interoperability with joint operations environments.