UAV revolution

[Crusader05]

I was wondering what everyone's opinion was on the surge in development in unmanned arial vehicals?

The Predator has already proved its worth in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Global Hawk is deploying. Nationa across the globe are rushing to develope their own UAV technology.

Its important to bear in mind the very different ways UAVs can be used. Origianlly the scope of UAV ops was as a tactical level platform for ground forces (especially for the targetting of artillery and naval gun fire). This is still a very important use of UAVs and there is a growing fleet of tiny hand-launched vehicals like the Marine Corps' Dragonfly.

But the US is also using UAVs as strategic level ISR (intelligence, survellance and reconniasance) platform. The UAV is tasked to look for certain strategic targets, this is linked via satellite to processing stations in the US in real-time.

The rest of the world either doesn't need to do this or doesn't pocess the capability to do this.

Problems the US is encountering with UAV intergation is coordinating airspace and bandwith.

The result of UAV technology is going to change the US Air Force in several was in the coming decades. First it will create a new career field for UAV operators and secondly it will push intelligence more and more into the world of operations. Intel has always provided support to the warfighter, i.e. pilots and aircrew. But with new ISR and UAV ops the pilot is mearly playing with a joystick, intel is the entire reason for the operation, intel drives the mission. In the next 20 years, as we replace many current airframes with unmanned systems intel will play a much greater role and recieve a much greater prominance in the DoD.

So, please feel free to comment on this. Your thoughts on UAVs, ISR, and the future of intel are welcomed.

 

[Sybaris]

UAV's have their place and will occupy a significant portion of the battlefield as the technology and ability to miniaturize components matures however, you can't hold ground without boots.

 

[WarSong]

Nothing replaces HUMINT.

 

[Erock83]

I was wondering what everyone's opinion was on the surge in development in unmanned arial vehicals?

The Predator has already proved its worth in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Global Hawk is deploying. Nationa across the globe are rushing to develope their own UAV technology.

Its important to bear in mind the very different ways UAVs can be used. Origianlly the scope of UAV ops was as a tactical level platform for ground forces (especially for the targetting of artillery and naval gun fire). This is still a very important use of UAVs and there is a growing fleet of tiny hand-launched vehicals like the Marine Corps' Dragonfly.

But the US is also using UAVs as strategic level ISR (intelligence, survellance and reconniasance) platform. The UAV is tasked to look for certain strategic targets, this is linked via satellite to processing stations in the US in real-time.

The rest of the world either doesn't need to do this or doesn't pocess the capability to do this.

Problems the US is encountering with UAV intergation is coordinating airspace and bandwith.

The result of UAV technology is going to change the US Air Force in several was in the coming decades. First it will create a new career field for UAV operators and secondly it will push intelligence more and more into the world of operations. Intel has always provided support to the warfighter, i.e. pilots and aircrew. But with new ISR and UAV ops the pilot is mearly playing with a joystick, intel is the entire reason for the operation, intel drives the mission. In the next 20 years, as we replace many current airframes with unmanned systems intel will play a much greater role and recieve a much greater prominance in the DoD.

So, please feel free to comment on this. Your thoughts on UAVs, ISR, and the future of intel are welcomed.

Robotic War fare thus the most indusial capable country would win at least the first wave of warfare seems like a world that I don’t want to be a part of.
One Love

 

[Crusader05]

Nothing replaces HUMINT.

HUMINT is vastly overrated and has many shortcomings.

When you gather HUMINT you are being told what the source wants you to know, you are reliant on their knowledge, perceptions, and questionable loyalties.

We can task an imagery system like a satellite or the U-2 to take pictures of something, but we cant task a human source in that way.

HUMINT maybe provides 10% of the entire intel the US uses. Most of that comes from embassy delegates and attaches. The image most people have of spies passing suitcases in dark allies is pure fantasy. Real intel, the stuff that tells us real information is gained from imagery, signals and electronic means. Humans lie and make mistakes, but pictures, signals and electromagnetic emissions dont.

 

[LogicChristian]

My thoughts are that I want to play with an X-45C soon.

The world of SEAD will change forever soon. The political considerations of making deep precision attacks inside foreign nations has already changed with the advent of UAVs. It's easier to get Yemen to let you fly Predators around than F-15Es.

 

[Crusader05]

My thoughts are that I want to play with an X-45C soon.

The world of SEAD will change forever soon. The political considerations of making deep precision attacks inside foreign nations has already changed with the advent of UAVs. It's easier to get Yemen to let you fly Predators around than F-15Es.

Absolutley! The UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aireal Vehical) will really revolutionize the future of airpower.

Imagine a future war with China or North Korea (two nations with amazing air defense forces) in which we send hundreds of UCAVs into the high risk areas to strike targets. Without risking the lives of our pilots, we could effect terrible destruction on the enemy's centers of gravity. Even in the war on terror, the political implications of using a UCAV are far less than a manned system.

 

[E_Powers]

Absolutley! The UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aireal Vehical) will really revolutionize the future of airpower.

Imagine a future war with China or North Korea (two nations with amazing air defense forces) in which we send hundreds of UCAVs into the high risk areas to strike targets. Without risking the lives of our pilots, we could effect terrible destruction on the enemy's centers of gravity. Even in the war on terror, the political implications of using a UCAV are far less than a manned system.

I love this aspect of ucavs

 

[theforgiven]

I was wondering what everyone's opinion was on the surge in development in unmanned arial vehicals?

The Predator has already proved its worth in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Global Hawk is deploying. Nationa across the globe are rushing to develope their own UAV technology.

Its important to bear in mind the very different ways UAVs can be used. Origianlly the scope of UAV ops was as a tactical level platform for ground forces (especially for the targetting of artillery and naval gun fire). This is still a very important use of UAVs and there is a growing fleet of tiny hand-launched vehicals like the Marine Corps' Dragonfly.

But the US is also using UAVs as strategic level ISR (intelligence, survellance and reconniasance) platform. The UAV is tasked to look for certain strategic targets, this is linked via satellite to processing stations in the US in real-time.

The rest of the world either doesn't need to do this or doesn't pocess the capability to do this.

Problems the US is encountering with UAV intergation is coordinating airspace and bandwith.

The result of UAV technology is going to change the US Air Force in several was in the coming decades. First it will create a new career field for UAV operators and secondly it will push intelligence more and more into the world of operations. Intel has always provided support to the warfighter, i.e. pilots and aircrew. But with new ISR and UAV ops the pilot is mearly playing with a joystick, intel is the entire reason for the operation, intel drives the mission. In the next 20 years, as we replace many current airframes with unmanned systems intel will play a much greater role and recieve a much greater prominance in the DoD.

So, please feel free to comment on this. Your thoughts on UAVs, ISR, and the future of intel are welcomed.

In my opinion, I think they are a great addition to the armed forces. They even have ones that are back-pack sized now so that squad leaders can even have the overwhelming advantage of real-time reconnaissance also. I think they are good for recon, intellegence, and support but I don't think they will replace real pilots.

 

[republican]

I think the unmanned air crafts give up flexability on not sending human pilots to dangerouse zones in the sky. But I do say we should keep our strength in the sky with man becuase we can suffer from glitches as we know it. But I am all for it.

 

[jhollas]

Glitches? That's an understatement if ever I heard one.
UAVs are an interesting concept, and one which I have no doubt the American armed forces will be quick to integrate. The Brits might be the next to follow, as we're looking for something to replace Phoenix.
But I don't see them becoming anything more than an artillery and reconnaissance tool. For the moment, at least.