UAVs and UCAVs

[LETHALFORCE]

USAF UAVs: The Secret History.

http://www.afa.org/Mitchell/Reports/MS_UAV_0710.pdf

 

[Yatharth Singh]

News Report On "TIHA" MALE UAV

 

[Yatharth Singh]

Turkey Unveils "TIHA" MALE UAV

Turkey on Friday unveiled its first drone airplane, a surveillance craft able to fly for 24-hour stretches over the rugged mountains where Kurdish rebels are waging a deadly insurgencay.

Turkey's eagerness to produce its own military technology mirrors its increasingly robust and independent diplomacy in the region. And producing its own drone fleet would allow Turkey to sever an important link with Israel, which has provided Turkey with drones even amid rising tensions over Israeli policy toward the Gaza Strip.

While the success of the Turkish-made drone is far from assured, Turkish engineers said they were confident it would become part of the country's arsenal. Ozcan Ertem, head of the project, said an armed version of the Anka, or Phoenix, was possible but not in the works for now.

Some 43 countries have now developed unmanned aerial vehicles, which have proved to be extremely effective in gathering intelligence and, in U.S. hands, staging attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

Ertem said four or five countries, including Pakistan, which has also sought drones from the U.S., are expected to place orders for the Anka once the Turkish Air Force issues an order probably later this year. The first system, comprising three planes and remote-control units, was expected to be delivered to the Turkish Air Force in 2013.

The drone, with a 56-foot wingspan and an ability to fly for 24 hours at a speed of 75 knots per hour and height of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) is expected to spy mostly on Kurdish rebels who have recently increased infiltration into Turkey from bases in northern Iraq and escalated attacks on Turkish targets in a war for autonomy in the Kurdish-dominated southeast that has killed as many as 40,000 people since 1984.

Turkey has purchased 10 massive Heron drones from Israel and their delivery was expected to be completed in August.
Turkey had also bought or leased other drones from Israel, he said, and the United States separately provides intelligence from Predator drones on the Kurdish rebels.

The defense cooperation goes beyond drones — Israel has upgraded some of Turkey's combat jets and tanks with modern radar equipment, according to defense officials and analysts, — but the relationship is threatened by the dispute over Israel's May 31 raid on an aid ship that attempted to break its blockade of Gaza. After Israeli commandos killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American aboard the ship, Turkey withdrew its ambassador and pulled out of three naval drills with Israel in the Mediterranean.

Turkey's Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and Gen. Ilker Basbug, head of the military, were among those who burst into applause to congratulate engineers as workers towed the drone about the height of a man onto the tarmac, painted in gray of combat jets, with a V-shaped tail and propeller in the back.

Remzi Barlas, head of the engineering group at Turkish Aerospace Space Industries Inc, said Anka was as capable as the Israeli Heron and even features a better anti-icing system that works for the entire 24 hour-flight. Its diesel Centurion engine by German-based company Thielert Aircraft Enginges GmbH works with jet fuel that is easier to find in remote Turkish bases in the southeast, he said. A high-octane fuel is used for the Heron.

The Turkish defense industry is "not yet world-class, but certainly growing. However, it is still dependent on foreign builders and likely will stay that way for a while," said Peter Singer, director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution.

"This is a new technology that is interestingly both easy and difficult to build and use effectively. The construction is often easier than the integration into operations," Singer said of drones. "It took years before the US was able to learn how to use the Predator (a drone that can fire missiles) to a significant effect, most especially linked with ground troops."

There has also been friction in Turkey's defense relations with Washington following its refusal to host U.S. troops for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. For the first time, no U.S. companies bid for a major Turkish attack helicopter contract in 2006, after Turkey insisted on full access to the aircraft's specific software codes — which the United States considers a security risk. Turkey and Italy then launched a $3 billion project to co-produce 50 attack helicopters for the Turkish army.

Nihat Ali Ozcan, of the Economic Policy Research Institute in Ankara, said Turkey had asked for several attack helicopter gunships to respond a dramatic escalation of attacks by Kurdish rebels, who use bases in northern Iraq to stage hit-and-run attacks on Turkish targets, but the U.S. Congress only approved two.

http://theasiandefence.blogspot.com/2010/07/turkey-unveils-tiha-male-uav.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/YyaK+(ASIAN+DEFENCE)

 

[LETHALFORCE]

cross posted

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=22585

India to buy 3 more AWACS, Heron UAVs from Israel


Islamabad—India is holding unpublicized talks with Israel to purchase three more Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) at the cost of more than US$1.5 billion.

According to defence observers the secret talks have already reached an advcance level between Indian and Israeli military officialsl but a final decision is expected by mid-May 2010.

Meanwhile the second of the three Israeli-made Phalcon contracted earlier reached India on Thursday evening. According to reports reaching here the second AWACS from Israel arrived in Gujarat and will be deployed in Agra's Jamnagar air base. It is also learnt that a small group of Israeli defence experts had arrived in India apparently to link up Phalcon with Indian military satellites for enhanced surveillance activities in the region.

India first reached an accord in 2003 deal worth USD 1.1 billion to buy three AWACS from Israel to be incorporated with and mounted on Russian-make IL-76 heavy-lift transport aircraft, of which the first was delivered in May last year.

Since the induction of the first system on May 28 last year it is being operated by the Agra-based 50 squadron and has been carrying out extensive flying operations with India's frontline fighters such as the Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and the Jaguars. The AWACS was also deployed at the recently-held major exercise codenamed 'Vayushakti' and controlled the flight operations of over 100 aircraft participating in the massive fire-power demonstration.

According to defence experts India was now considering to link the additional three AWACS with its first military satellite due to be launched by the middle of next year.

Meanwhile India has also reached a secret agreement with Israel's Aerospace Industries (IAI) last week ordering additional 'Heron' MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) drones, ground control systems and data terminals. The latest deal worth more than Indian Rs 700 crore was signed by the two sides last week but neither side has officially confirmed the accord.

According to a report apart from using Israeli UAVs for spying and directing precision-guided munitions, Indian Air Force is now looking to induct Israeli Harop 'killer' UAVs from 2011 onwards.

Harpy and Harop are kamikaze-type UAVs which perish with the targets, Predators and Reapers are more like fighters since return to their bases to get a fresh stock of missiles for new missions.

India has inducted well over 100 UAVs since the 1999 and the latest induction of Heron, Searcher II and Harpy 'killer' drones would strengthen further India's goal to become well-equipped with attacker drones.

India and Israel are also working joint by on a Rs 1.2 crore project to acquire NRUAVs (naval rotary UAVs) or unmanned helicopters operating from warship decks for advanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions.

 

[talmash]

hi all

this is my first post here. welcome.

my name is Tal, CTO and Founder of AcceleRadio
we invent & designed new applications for a relay UAV system:

1. full radio control from ground (preset , frequency , radio-modes)
2. full relay control from ground ( relay modes , filters , alerts )
3. enhanced control-ability from more than 1 spot
4. ability to perform relay on a single radio channel
5. ability to make a direct call from the UAV control center to the ground forces (wireless call, of course)
and some more...

at the passing year, we were focused in the develop and the design, and know we are looking for customers.

first 2 customers already ordered the system, and we are looking for the Indian market.

regards,

Tal Mashraky, Founder & CTO
AcceleRadio ltd.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Tal Mashraky, Founder & CTO
AcceleRadio ltd.

@Mr Tal Mashraky,
I hope your company will find its opportunity here in Indian Market as our forces need variates of UAVs on daily basis..

Kunal biswas

 

[sayareakd]

we are looking for the Indian market.

regards,

Tal Mashraky, Founder & CTO
AcceleRadio ltd.

better get agents here, who can sell your product, there are number of customers including state police in anti terror operations and military.

picture of your products will be appreciated.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Trashcan_Like_UAS_Useful_Tool_For_Stryker_Team_999.html

Trashcan-Like UAS Useful Tool For Stryker Team

Short and squat in stature, with spindly legs sticking out underneath and a loud, whiny engine like a leaf-blower on steroids, the gasoline-powered Micro Air Vehicle, or gMAV, won't be winning beauty contests anytime soon.

But this ugly duckling of the unmanned aerial systems world is in fact a valuable tool, especially when conducting route clearance missions in search of improvised explosive devices, such as with the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, now in Iraq.

"When we first saw it, we thought it was a flying George Foreman [grill]," said Spc. Josh Judson, who said he's also heard the UAS described as a trashcan, a barbecue grill, and even a beer keg.

A combat engineer-turned-gMAV operator, Judson and fellow Soldiers from 38th Engineer Company, recently gave a demonstration of the device's capabilities to members of the 4-2 Stryker BCT command group.

"You don't really know what it does until you see it fly," he said.

The gMAV, weighing in at roughly 18 pounds, is a Class I system. While in the air, it is capable of stopping to hover using its cameras to capture video and still images of the ground below.

"It gives us situational awareness from the air," said Judson, explaining that it can be used in both night and day route clearance missions. "It gives us an idea of what's going on ahead of us, what's behind us, and any [IED] emplacers that might be coming along our way."

Though some are turned off to the gMAV by the very un-stealthy droning sound its engine makes, Judson said when on a very noticeable and high-profile mission like route clearance, the aircraft's noise is actually helpful.

"The truth is, we come in white-light, bright and loud," he said. "So why not add a little bit more deterrent to it?"

He and other members of 38th Engineer Company, were taught how to operate the gMAV during a nine-day course taught at Camp Taji.

Although it's not exactly what he signed up to do as a combat engineer, Judson said that he enjoys flying the gMAV.

"I like the fact that I can give the ground command something in the convoy - it's my piece," he said. "It's all of our pieces, those that fly the gMAV. It's what we do."

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/B...ompletes_Major_Flight_Test_Milestone_999.html

Block 40 Global Hawk Successfully Completes Major Flight Test Milestone

Northrop Grumman Corporation's
first Block 40 RQ-4 Global Hawk high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has completed envelope expansion flights, just six months after conducting its first flight.

The Block 40 aircraft will be equipped with the high performance Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor and is the first of 22 Block 40 Global Hawks assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota.

The company also delivered on time the first development test MP-RTIP sensor to Edwards AFB for integration on the aircraft. The MP-RTIP sensor has completed radar system level performance verification on a surrogate aircraft, and will be integrated into AF-18, a Block 40 Global Hawk aircraft, for operational evaluation.

"The MP-RTIP-equipped Global Hawk illustrates Northrop Grumman's unique ability to create a system that will provide game-changing situational awareness for our warfighters with its unprecedented capability to detect, track and identify stationary and moving targets," said Duke Dufresne, vice president of the Strike and Surveillance Systems division of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector.

"Our next step is to finalize sensor integration with the airframe and conduct the first flight of the full Block 40 system later this year."

"The MP-RTIP sensor has proven to perform above and beyond expectations," said George Vardoulakis, Northrop Grumman vice president of MP-RTIP. "The superior technology of the MP-RTIP will prove to be an invaluable resource to the warfighter."

Global Hawk's range, endurance and large payload capabilities are well suited to provide persistent surveillance with MP-RTIP. Flying at altitudes up to 60,000 feet for more than 32 hours per sortie at speeds approaching 340 knots, the MP-RTIP-equipped Block 40 Global Hawk can persistently see through most types of weather, day or night.

As the world's first fully autonomous HALE UAS, Global Hawk is the platform of choice for a wide variety of sensors, foreign and domestic, meeting the global need for persistent ISR.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/B..._Control_Of_Unmanned_Airborne_System_999.html

Boeing To Demonstrate NATO AWACS Control Of Unmanned Airborne System

The Boeing Company will demonstrate control of the ScanEagle unmanned airborne system (UAS) by a NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft during Empire Challenge 2010.
This annual demonstration of joint and coalition intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance interoperability is sponsored by the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. Empire Challenge, hosted by the U.S. Joint Forces Command, will take place from July 26 to Aug. 13 at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Boeing has tested unmanned vehicles and AWACS in previous Empire Challenge demonstrations, but this will be the first time the company demonstrates full control of an unmanned aircraft by an airborne command and control (C2) platform during an operational scenario. ScanEagle is built by Insitu Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing.

The scenario involves an antipiracy operation in which the NATO AWACS aircraft detects suspicious activity and directs ScanEagle to fly to a certain location and keep track of a suspect vessel - a truck representing a pirate ship - while sending real-time video back to the AWACS.

The AWACS aircraft, in collaboration with the Combined Air Operations Center, will determine whether the vessel is a threat and direct other coalition assets to respond appropriately. The AWACS aircraft will be equipped with a Tactical Common Data Link system that will relay commands to ScanEagle from an onboard operator.

"This demonstration is an example of how linking NATO AWACS to new data sources, such as chat rooms and unmanned vehicles, can support evolving Air Battle Management tasks," said Col. Greg Clark of NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW and C) Force Command.

"Operators are recognizing the significant advantages that unmanned vehicles provide to access new information-sharing methods to rapidly improve the use of all operational assets."

"ScanEagle will enhance the AWACS advantage of seeing from long distances at high altitude by allowing the manned aircraft to also observe what's happening closer to the ground," said Jake Howitt, director of AWACS Programs for Boeing.

"AWACS will use the information from ScanEagle and data from its own sensors to produce faster, more accurate and actionable intelligence in response to threats."

Boeing has been testing UAS control from C2 platforms since 2006, including a 2009 demonstration using an AEW and C aircraft to control multiple ScanEagles via satellite communications and other similar communications channels.

The Empire Challenge 2010 demonstration will pave the way to enable any airborne C2 platform to control unmanned vehicles - such as ScanEagle and the larger ScanEagle Compressed Carriage - as remote sensors without a major modification to the controlling aircraft.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Pilotless_drones_show_new_face_of_war_at_Farnborough_999.html

Pilotless drones show new face of war at Farnborough

Pilotless drones, remote-controlled military aircraft destined to play a vital role in combat, took a high-profile place at the Farnborough air show this week.

With unmanned aircraft already being used by NATO forces in Afghanistan for intelligence-gathering but also increasingly in an offensive role, aerospace manufacturers at Farnborough reported brisk sales last year.

Although defence budgets worldwide are being squeezed this year by the fragile economic recovery, companies and analysts said they expected sales of drones to slow less than in other defence aviation sectors.

One machine with a potentially strong commercial future is US defence group Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk, a high-altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), seen as a potential replacement for the venerable U-2 spy plane.

"The planned date (for U-2 decommissioning) is by 2012, but it is unlikely the U-2 will just drop dead. More likely there will be a draw-down," Northrop Grumman's Director of Business Development Ed Walby told AFP at the Farnborough show near London, a key get-together in the aviation world.

Northrop claimed at the show to have clocked up total sales for all its aircraft of 33.8 billion dollars (26 billion euros) in 2009.

But in a sign of the growing importance of unmanned aircraft, Northrop said it expected the sector to account for 3.5 billion dollars of sales in the next 10 years.

By way of comparison, the total value of orders for aircraft, mainly civil airliners, announced at Farnborough up to Wednesday night was 37.5 billion dollars.

However, with drones playing an increasingly prominent role in warfare, some manufacturers forecast that sales of unmanned aircraft would remain buoyant despite the pressure governments are under to cut defence spending.

US consultancy Forecast International's senior unmanned systems analyst Larry ****erson predicts the market for UAV procurement will be worth almost 18 billion dollars by 2018.

"Western European defence budgets are under a lot of pressure," said Paolo Carmassi, a leading executive at Honeywell Aerospace.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see a reduction in hardware acquisition in the short term and this is something I think the entire industry has to be prepared for."

However a spokesman for US aerospace giant Boeing was far more upbeat.

"UAVs have always been in high demand and we expect the market to continue to grow even with the decrease in spending in the (US) Department of Defense," he told AFP.

Flying at an altitude of 60,000 feet (18,300 metres), UAVs can look down through a sandstorm and destroy unsuspecting targets with clinical precision. All this, while the pilot is nowhere near the aircraft or even the battlefield.

Yet despite the unique combat role played by drones, industry experts stress the need to maintain the man in the cockpit.

"They don't take over. Manned aircraft, at least for the next 40 years, will continue to dominate despite the progressive injection of remotely piloted vehicles in air forces around the world," said Howard Wheeldon, a defence analyst with BGC partners.

Alan S. Colegrove, a senior official at US drone manufacturer AAI added: "Most of the unmanned systems out there are not exactly unmanned, they are remotely controlled."

The emergence of unmanned vehicles that carry out strike missions on enemy targets, as opposed to mere surveillance is taking drone technology to the next level.

The Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) are already being used in conflict zones across Afghanistan.

"I think they are extremely important and here to stay," said Wheeldon.

"They are already with us and playing a crucial role in Afghanistan and they played a role in Iraq. They will save lives and are a cheap form of defence fighting equipment."

US Secretary of State Robert Gates has said that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter now in production, "may be the last combat aircraft the US Air Force will buy that carries a pilot," signalling a paradigm shift in how the US plans to craft its 21st century battle strategy.

Ahead of Farnborough, a drone manufacturer
claimed that its ultra-light UAV powered by solar energy stayed in the air for a record seven days.

The British-based firm QinetiQ said its 22.5 metre (74-foot) long Zephyr, weighing just 50 kilogrammes (110 pounds), flew over a US military testing ground in Arizona.

 

[rahul009]

Race for best UCAV's

It looks like Americans are now leading the race they have valuable field experience, but French are not far behind they have Dassault nEUROn which is a stealth UCAV's very similar in design to that of American ones.

I think best option for India to acquire advanced stealth UCAV's which more than 500Km of operating range is to look to Russia who are developing MiG Skat ,A link up would be best for both countries we could provide software and Russians Hard ware.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Boeing_Signs_MOU_With_Aeronautics_For_DA42_Dominator_UAS_999.html

Boeing Signs MOU With Aeronautics For DA42 Dominator UAS

Boeing has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aeronautics Ltd. to market the DA42 Dominator unmanned aircraft system.

"The Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) portion of the unmanned systems market is rapidly expanding as the world's armed forces acquire a variety of vehicles for use in current conflicts and future missions," said Chris Chadwick, president of Boeing Military Aircraft.

"By collaborating with Aeronautics to market the DA42 Dominator, Boeing is able to offer a wider range of MALE solutions to current and potential customers, both domestically and internationally."

The DA42 Dominator is designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions with an all-composite construction that provides durability, reduced maintenance and lower aircraft weight to enhance mission endurance.

"We believe that Boeing's vast experience and knowledge, together with Aeronautics' innovative technology and unmanned expertise, will position the DA42 Dominator as one of the leading MALE unmanned aircraft systems available on the market," said Aeronautics CEO Avi Leumi.

"Aeronautics is proud to begin working shoulder-to-shoulder with Boeing, and we are certain that our combined capabilities will bring a true added value to our customers."

 

[Neil]

The Flaws of the Silent Killer

The classified situation report from the "RC East" region in eastern Afghanistan at first reads like a routine transcript: "Oct. 17, 2009: At approximately 1300 ANA (Afghan National Army) received intelligence that approximately 20 insurgents were moving south of their position in the wadi (dried-out river bed). At approximately 1400 the Raven was launched, and flew directly to FB. We observed no enemy in the wadi." But problems were then experienced with the flight of the Raven, a US military reconnaissance drone. "While making the U turn, approximately 300M from FB (Fire Base) -- the bird suddenly lost altitude and crashed," the report states.

Then the situation grew hectic: "Immediately we attempted to secure a dismounted patrol from FB to secure the bird, and prepared a patrol of 6 US (soldiers) 40 ANA (Afghan soldiers) ... and requested immediate CCA (air cover) to over watch the crash site and try to get eyes on the raven. While preparing to SP (conduct a search patrol) the ANA got cold feet and decided they did not want to do the dismounted patrol."

In the end the soldiers did set out to search for the crashed drone, but they had to turn back because insurgents were reportedy already waiting for the opportunity to ambush the soldiers as they attempted to salvage the drone.

System Failures, Computer Glitches and Human Error
Indeed, the secret memos reveal the drawbacks of a weapon that has been lauded by the US military as a panacea, a view shared by the president. In his short time in office, Barack Obama has unleashed double the number of drone missions ordered by his seemingly trigger-happy predecessor, George W. Bush.

The unmanned assassin can fly for more than 20 hours and kill at lightning speed. But they are not always reliable. According to official reports, 38 Predator and Reaper drones have crashed while on combat missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq, while a further nine have crashed during test flights on military bases in the US. Each crash costs the government between $3.7 million (€2.8 million) and $5 million.

The US Department of Defense accident reports show that system failures, computer glitches and human errors are common occurrences during drone missions. It seems that serious problems were ignored because of the need for the drones to be deployed as quickly as possible. The new weapon was urgently in demand following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the hasty start of the invasion of Afghanistan.

"The drones were not ready for going into combat," says Travis Burdine, manager of the Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Task Force. "We had no time to iron out the problems." Burdine's statement is backed up by reports in the war logs. Indeed, the quiet killers seem to have a lot of defects.

It is not just the costs incurred by these crashes that worry the US military. Even the smaller reconnaissance drones are packed with complicated computer technology -- advances the military doesn't want to fall into enemy hands. Both Reapers and Predators have a so-called "zero out" function, which allows data to be deleted remotely. Unfortunately, this feature sometimes fails. And out of fear that important information could fall into the hands of the Taliban, each drone crash necessitates elaborate -- and dangerous -- salvage operations.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708314-4,00.html

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/EODMU_1_Tests_UUVs_For_Use_In_Anti_Mine_Warfare_999.html

EODMU-1 Tests UUVs For Use In Anti-Mine Warfare

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 1, tested new unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), July 15 in the waters off Oahu during Rim of the Pacific 2010 (RIMPAC).

EODMU 1 is using the waters off Oahu to test new UUVs to replace some of the tasks marine mammals currently perform to provide mine countermeasure operations for the Navy.

EODMU 1 has already replaced some dolphin and sea lion tasks up to 100 meters in depth by using the REMUS 100, a Remote Environmental Measuring Unit by Hydroid Corporation in partnership with the Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR).

SPAWAR is testing the upgraded REMUS 600. The UUV can operate in depths of up to 600 meters for up to 70 hours with plenty of areas to apply a wide array of sensors for today's technology and new, future arrays.

If the REMUS 100 has been the sedan of the UUV community, the larger 600 is its pick-up truck.

"On these bigger vehicles, there are sensors in development with the Office of Naval Research that could fit on the [REMUS 600] but could not fit on the smaller vehicles," said Todd Webber, a SPAWAR Systems Center representative working with Navy EOD.

"Some of those new, advanced sensors are going to give us better resolution, and also do sensor penetration of buried targets that we currently don't have a way to get to - other than the marine mammals," said Webber.

UUVs are in use at Marine Corps Base Hawaii during RIMPAC because the warm, clear waters off Hawaii provide the perfect combination to test and document how far the 600 can go to replace diver and mammal missions.

"We're getting some good video documentation by putting the UUV in an autonomous mode between set points," said Mineman 1st Class (EXW/SW) Lindsey Wohlgemuth, of EOD-1. "We're also doing what we call a 'loiter mode', where the 600 goes in a circle. We can actually get good, visual documentation of the vehicle here."

The UUV looks like a mini-submarine. Its body is just over 10 feet long and glides with silent precision through the water, all the while using advanced SONAR to map the ocean floor and look for anomalies in the surrounding waters.

During RIMPAC, divers lay training mines to test the UUVs ability to locate the devices. EOD technicians pour over the sensor data that comes back both in raw data and visual recordings in trailers at a forward operating base.

From here, the crews have access to the many training areas on Oahu's windward side taking their 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) either into the bay to perform shallow water operations, or out into the ocean for deep-water testing.

EOD technicians drop the REMUS 600 from the side of the RHIB, set it on its way then control and monitor the silent vehicle as it submerges to collect its valuable data. The EOD techs can control the vehicle from the RHIB and get real-time updates while the UUV is submerged.

If in hostile waters, the upgraded REMUS 600 provides EOD techs the ability to get their missions done faster and better.

"The REMUS 600 has more capability than the 100 does, and we've been using the 100s for a while," said Wohlgemuth. "It's a faster vehicle and has a larger sonar range, so we can go in and do a mission faster than the 100s can."

While SPAWAR and the Navy are looking to greatly decrease the number of missions they use dolphins and sea lions for, it may be some time before the mine countermeasure community can completely remove them from service.

"Dolphins have had their sonar capability evolve over millions of years," said Webber, "and we've only been at it for less than 100 [years]. There are things they can do that we're not even close to yet with unmanned vehicles, but by using UUVs we can at least keep our human divers and their [marine] mammal counterparts out of some dangerous situations."

 

[nrj]

Unmanned Kaman K-Max makes autonomous flight

Kaman and Lockheed Martin (Team K-Max) have demonstrated the ability of an unmanned Kaman K-Max to fly troop cargo re-supply missions autonomously and remotely via line-of-sight and satellite-based line-of-sight datalink.

The tests were performed at the U.S. Army's Dugway, Utah proving grounds under subfreezing weather conditions designed to mimic those likely to be encountered under combat conditions at forward bases in Afghanistan. The test was funded by the Marine Corps. "We met or exceeded the requirements within the scheduled three-day time frame of the demonstration," said Dan Spoor, aviation systems vice president at Lockheed Martin's mission systems sensors facility in Owego, N.Y. "The system performed a rigorous set of cargo resupply scenarios as programmed, allowing the ground-based operator to monitor progress and make adjustments to aircraft positioning only when requested by the Marine Corps for demonstration purposes."


Demonstrated performance included hovering at 12,000 feet with a 1,500-pound sling load; delivering 3,000 pounds of cargo to a forward operating base within the six-hour required time frame, consisting of two 150-nm round-trip flights; remotely controlling the flight and a precision load delivery by a ground-based operator in both day and night conditions; and uploading a new mission plan to the aircraft's mission management system during flight.


The project also demonstrated the helicopter's four-hook carousel, which enables multi-load deliveries in a single flight, lifting a total load of 3,450 pounds. The aircraft flew to three pre-programmed delivery coordinates, autonomously releasing a sling load at each location. At the Marines' request, the ground operator performed the fourth load delivery manually.


Team K-Max has flown the unmanned K-Max nearly 400 hours in unmanned mode since 2007. This demonstration fulfilled an $860,000 U.S. Marine Corps contract awarded to manufacturer Kaman Aerospace in August 2009.


A manned version of the K-Max has accumulated more than 250,000 flight hours, conducting repetitive lift operations for the construction and logging industries worldwide.

Source

 

[nrj]

U.S. Army funding unmanned K-Max

In late May, Kaman Aerospace announced that it had received a $2.9 million contract from the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) to further refine its Unmanned K-Max heavylift helicopter for potential theater operations. The contract comes hot on the heels of two successful demonstrations of the Unmanned K-Max for both the army and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Both services have identified a possible requirement for an unmanned system to deliver cargo and supplies around the battlefield. This need has arisen from experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, where manned assets are often overstretched. Therefore, out of necessity, many supplies are being moved by road, where they are vulnerable to insurgent attack via improvised explosive devices and ambushes.

Getting the trucks off the road is seen as a key means by which the alarming rate of friendly casualties can be reduced. Using an unmanned air system as a means of delivery not only greatly reduces exposure to fire, but is considerably cheaper than using manned helicopters.

Team K-Max

In March 2007, Lockheed Martin joined forces with Kaman to offer an unmanned version of the K-Max commercial logging helicopter, which can carry slung loads of up to 6,000 pounds at sea level. Within Team K-Max, Lockheed Martin supplies the mission management system.

Last August, under the auspices of the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, contracts were issued to Lockheed Martin and Boeing to demonstrate a near-term unmanned cargo delivery solution under the "Immediate Cargo UAS" banner. Boeing employed its A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft for the demonstration, which was conducted at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, where the terrain approximates that of Afghanistan.

Team K-Max took N131KA–its unmanned demonstrator–to Utah for three days in January, and Boeing followed in March. The marines had identified a desirable capability of delivering between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds to a location 75 miles away in a 24-hour period, a capacity reflected in the demonstration by a 2,500-pound transfer in six hours. Team K-Max actually achieved more than 3,000 pounds in five hours, and also demonstrated a required hover with a 1,500-pound load at 12,000 feet. Also displayed were night capability, autonomous and remote-controlled flight, mid-flight retasking and multi-drop capability. Separately, the Unmanned K-Max demonstrated flight cruise at 17,300 feet with a 1,500-pound load.

Perhaps the highlight of the trials involved the Unmanned K-Max carrying four loads totaling 3,450 pounds on its company-developed carousel load-carrying system. Three loads were deposited autonomously at different locations, demonstrating accuracy within the 10-meter limits, while the fourth drop demonstrated the ability of a controller to remotely and precisely direct the K-Max from the ground.

Following the success at Dugway, Team K-Max conducted a series of airdrop trials in April at its Bloomfield facility in Connecticut. In partnership with the U.S. Army's Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Team K-Max undertook 11 airdrops of cargo from altitudes ranging from 150 to 300 feet. The drops used the army's standard low-altitude cross parachute, which can handle loads of between 80 and 600 pounds. In one of the demonstrations, the Unmanned K-Max released four separate loads from the carousel system. Following these successful trials, Team K-Max and the army are studying the employment of the Joint Precision AirDrop System (JPADS) for airdrops from greater altitudes.

Source

 

[nrj]

K-Max Unmanned cargo Helicopter

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ZALA_AERO_Unveils_ZALA_42120_999.html

ZALA AERO Unveils ZALA 421-20

ZALA AERO is unveiling its latest development ZALA 421-20. The fixed wing UAV has been in development for the last two years and is the upgrade to ZALA 421-09 with much greater capabilities.

Although developed primarily for long endurance surveillance and reconnaissance ZALA 421-20 is also suitable for maritime patrol, law enforcement, border patrol and monitoring of forest fires or other hazardous situations.

ZALA 421-20 payload capacity of 50kg allows the customer to combine and operate the latest technology including AIS, SAR, LRF and latest thermal imaging camera utilizing a continuous zoom lens.

With 400km range ZALA AEO sees ZALA 421-20 as a first important step towards the bright future of Russian made medium range UAS.

ZALA 421-20 is also designed to complement the current available ZALA AERO UAVs by being fully compatible with all other ZALA systems which allow the platform to be integrated with all ZALA GCS users the latest part of the ZANET system being specifically developed for Winter Olympic Game in Sochi 2014.

A modification of the ZALA 421-20 also includes two gliding payloads with built in autopilots that are capable of gliding up to 25km when released at 3000 meters and together carry over 30kg of supplies.

ZALA 421-20 has been launched with recently modified wing design with inbuilt fuel tanks to increase the endurance of the system to 6-8 hours. With future developments focused on increasing payload/fuel capacity and modifying the engine to increase endurance.

ZALA 421-20 design ensured that the system is transportable by making 6 meter wings constructible and is the latest UAV to be used with container based GCS modification.

 

[plugwater]

Spy in the sky: India begins hunt for mini 'killer' drones

NEW DELHI: After launching the hunt for combat drones, the Indian armed forces are now looking to induct micro and mini UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for snooping missions. Plans are even afoot to induct small UAVs which can perform "a killer role".

The IAF, for instance, has now issued an RFI (request for information) to armament companies for micro UAVs with an "operational endurance in excess of 30 minutes" but weighing less than two kg to ensure they can even be operated by a single person.

IAF wants these micro drones, with fuel or battery operated engines and latest avionics, to be capable of being "hand-launched" or with "vertical take-off and landing" capabilities. As per specifications, they should be equipped with CCD (charged-coupled device) cameras and FLIR (forward-looking infra-red) payloads.

This comes even as the 1.13-million Army is on course to induct slightly bigger mini and micro spy drones in a major way for short-range surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions as well as detection of NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) contaminants in the battlefield.

The force wants some of these man-portable spy drones to be capable of even hitting small but high-value enemy targets with explosives in a Kamikaze fashion. This is in keeping with Army's plan to induct such UAVs in phases right down to the battalion-level by the end of the 12th Plan (2012-2017).

Being stealthy because of their small size, these drones will also be used to equip Army's Para (Special Forces) battalions for covert missions beyond enemy lines, counter-terrorism operations and `beyond-the-hill' surveillance.

This comes soon after IAF issued a global RFI to armament giants worldwide for procurement of combat drones or UCAVs (unmanned combat aerial vehicles), with precision weapons and satellite data links, drawing lessons from the deadly use of American `Predators' and `Reapers' against the Taliban in the Af-Pak region, as earlier reported by TOI.

Since the 1999 Kargil conflict, India has inducted over 100 Israeli UAVs and uses them in surveillance and precision-targeting roles. The armed forces also have some "killer" drones like Israeli Harpy UAVs, while more advanced ones like Harop have also being ordered. But UCAVs are a generation ahead since like fighter jets they come back to their bases to re-arm themselves with more missiles for the next mission.


* Drones are major force-multipliers since they can snoop with their sensors and cameras, as also send back real-time imagery to direct precision fire at enemy locations. Some even act as missiles to hit high-value targets

* Drone technology is moving towards combat UAVs (like American Predators and Reapers armed with Hellfire missiles) as well as mini ones

* Mini UAVs can evade enemy radars, are easy to handle and can be launched without runways. Some are so small that they can fit inside the palm of a hand

* Some mini UAVs even have sensors to detect IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and move ahead of a convoy of soldiers on surveillance missions

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...or-mini-killer-drones/articleshow/6244959.cms