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The introduction of the CL-289s into Franco-German service had been handled by Aérospatiale and Dornier GmbH – the latter company has also coordinated the recent upgrade package for the CL-289. Failure to place CL-289s in CF service can be attributed to ideology – Canadair had been ‘rescued’ by a Liberal government and the Mulroney Tories would support it no further. Bombardier, the new owners of Canadair, has had little more success marketing UAVs. No third-generation Midge has appeared. Instead, Bombardier has placed all its eggs (or, rather, peanuts) in the rotary-wing basket. The CL-327 is a very clever ‘least mod’ development of the CL-227 [3] but it is a development – no new ground is being broken here. The CL-327 may still be able to carve out a niche for itself. The Guardian distinguishes itself from the UAV pack by its compact arrangement and vertical take-off/landing – particularly important for shipboard operations. The US

Canada Crafting High-End UAV Requirements

19-Dec-2005 03:04 EST

Related Stories: Americas - Other, Field Reports, Other Corporation, Pre-RFP, UAVs

Sperwer UAV
(click to view full)

DID’s article about the RQ-11 Raven’s performance in Afghanistan noted that Canada was looking to buy its own set of mini-UAVs to complement its Sperwer tactical UAVs. Both systems are in the procurement pipeline as Canada prepares to send 2,000 new troops to Afghanistan in February 2006. Meanwhile, Canada’s Air Force is also crafting a multimillion-dollar plan to purchase the Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS), for fielding around 2010.

Funding for these medium or high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles will be about C$500 million (USD $420 million). Smith, who is JUSTAS project director, said the military hopes to approach industry to meet its initial UAV needs by 2007. So, what’s the early scoop re: Canada’s potential requirements?

IAI Heron MALE UAV
(click to view full)

In a recent Defense News article, JUSTAS project director Lt. Col. Gord Smith noted the hope that by 2010, the Canadian Forces would be able to put a unit overseas that can do that area surveillance work that a MALE [medium-altitude, long-endurance] type of airplane would fulfill, and able to integrate with other UAV-type assets on the ground. A five-person team working on determining the Canada’s UAV needs in this sector, with the aim of employing them for sovereignty missions such as surveillance of Canada’s coastlines as well as for overseas operations.

, JUSTAS project director Lt. Col. Gord Smith noted the hope that by 2010, the Canadian Forces would be able to put a unit overseas that can do that area surveillance work that a MALE [medium-altitude, long-endurance] type of airplane would fulfill, and able to integrate with other UAV-type assets on the ground. A five-person team working on determining the Canada’s UAV needs in this sector, with the aim of employing them for sovereignty missions such as surveillance of Canada’s coastlines as well as for overseas operations.

The Canadian Forces flew its SAGEM CU-161 Sperwer tactical UAVs on 86 missions in support of tactical land operations in the Kabul area in 2003 and 2004. They also pushed the operating parameters of Sperwer farther than any other military had at that point, and the Sperwer had four widely publicized crashes in Afghanistan.

Mariner MALE UAV
(click to view full)

The Oerlikon-Contraves Sperwer is currently in service with Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, and Sweden, for now. DID says “for now” because the Danes are moving to cancel their Sperwer/Kestrel program and dispose of the UAVs.

The Canadian Forces insist that the Sperwer was not a mistake. It was, according to officials quoted in the Defense News article, “the right one for the job which we understood we had to do at the time. It’s just not good enough for what we’re going to do tomorrow… Now, having had a taste of [UAVs], we want more… we want them to go farther, deeper, higher up.”

Maybe so.

Smith, who is JUSTAS project director, said he has a five-person team working on determining the Canadian Forces’ UAV needs. The aim is to employ UAVs for sovereignty missions such as surveillance of Canada’s coastlines as well as for overseas operations. By 2007, the military hopes to approach industry to meet its initial UAV needs.

UPDATES:

An outsourced fleet of Heron UAVs appears to be Canada’s Phase 1 choice. See DID coverage.

Flight International (Nov 17/06) – Canada signals plans to arm new MALE UAVs. The overall JUSTAS project has not been Governmentally approved yet, and was split into 2 phases in August 2006. Phase 1 is intended to provide near term overland surveillance with 9 MALE UAVs, and a contract may be forthcoming in Summer 2007 in order to achieve initial operating capability by February 2009. Phase 2 will introduce a maritime/ arctic surveillance capability comprising up to 6 HALE [High Altitude, Long Endurance] aircraft and an additional 3 medium altitude MALEs by 2025. Phase 2 is expected to be heavily influenced by US and Australian selections for the BAMS project.

The Canadian CASR defense think tank notes that Canada has already tested the General Atomics Altair UAV in this role. Altair is closely related to the MQ-9 Predator B and Mariner maritime surveillance UAVs.

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Canadian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – a Brief Historical Background

The CL-89 Midge and CL-289 – Canadair’s Early Lead in Reconnaissance Drone Technology
In the early 1960s, Canadair began design of a ‘Surveillance Drone System’ – essentially a recoverable missile capable of performing reconnaissance missions. Its CL-89 Midge[1] was adopted for service by 4 NATO countries including Canada. The first operational use would not occur for 20 years when British Army Midges were deployed in the 1991 Gulf War. In the meantime, Canadair had introduced the improved CL-289 which serves Germany, France, and Italy. [2] The CL-289 was also intended for the CF but this plan was scuttled by David Collinette’s 1990 defence budget. The CL-289 has proven to be highly successful in European service – the German and French CL-289s have flown 1400+ sorties over the Balkans since late 1998. Launched from sites in Macedonia, thus far only four CL-289s have been lost.

The Flying ‘Peanut’ – Canadair’s Contra-rotating CL-227 Sentinel
Both CL-89 and CL-289 took a decade from design to deployment. In between, Canadair began working on an even more radical concept. The result was the rotary-wing CL-227 Sentinel. The central ‘stack’
(as Canadair called it) consists of the gearbox for the contra-rotating propellers, flanked by upper and lower lobes containing powerplant, fuel, and sensors. Proof-of-concept prototypes (1977) were powered by 17kW Wankel piston engines but the technology-demonstrators (1981) were powered by 24kW (later increased to 38kW) turboprops. Sea Sentinel, first flown in 1988, would later be tested aboard US Army, Coast Guard, and Navy vessels.

Canadair Eclipsed – Bombardier and the Future for Canadian UAVs
The introduction of the CL-289s into Franco-German service had been handled by Aérospatiale and Dornier GmbH – the latter company has also coordinated the recent upgrade package for the CL-289. Failure to place CL-289s in CF service can be attributed to ideology – Canadair had been ‘rescued’ by a Liberal government and the Mulroney Tories would support it no further. Bombardier, the new owners of Canadair, has had little more success marketing UAVs. No third-generation Midge has appeared. Instead, Bombardier has placed all its eggs (or, rather, peanuts) in the rotary-wing basket. The CL-327 is a very clever ‘least mod’ development of the CL-227 [3] but it is a development – no new ground is being broken here. The CL-327 may still be able to carve out a niche for itself. The Guardian distinguishes itself from the UAV pack by its compact arrangement and vertical take-off/landing – particularly important for shipboard operations. The US Navy has tested the CL-327 although without committing itself. Ultimately, the Guardian’s success may depend upon a domestic order.

[1] The CL-89 was jointly funded by Canada and Britain with Germany joining the project in 1965. Designated AN/USD-501, CL-89s began entering service in the early 1970s. As shown in the photos, the CL-89 was launched from the back of a 5t truck. A British 2,065kg booster rocket fired the CL-89 along a short launch rail. Once the vehicle achieved flying speed the booster was jettisoned and a tiny 57kg thrust Williams Research WR2-6 turbojet took over propulsion. The CL-89 followed a pre-programmed flightpath, scanning its target area with an infrared linescan camera before relaying data back to a ground station for processing. The IR camera was turned on at the last moment to avoid detection of the relay signals. An optical camera was also fitted. When the mission was complete, the CL-89 landed by parachute.
[2] The CL-289 is an enlarged, faster version of the Midge and operates in very much the same way. CL-289s first became operational with Germany in 1990, and with France two years later. French CL-289s are called PIVER (Programmation et Interprétation des Vols d’Engins de Reconnaissance) although , properly, this refers only to the ground station. In 2002, Italy’s Esercito replaced its old CL-89s with CL-289s.
[3] The CL-327 was feasible, in part, due to advances in rotor blade technologies. To keep its development costs managable, Bombardier needed to re-use the CL-227’s central ‘stack’ unchanged. Rotor blades were to be longer but mounted no further apart vertically. In order that the contra-rotating rotor ‘discs’ not collide, each individual blade needed to be stiffer. Testing suggests that this evolution has been successful. A CL-327 prototype was lost during US Navy tests but the ‘fix’ was simple and the accident was unrelated to flight dynamics.

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Background — Canadian Forces JUSTAS Project UAV Index

• JUSTAS Project – Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System

Canadian Forces JUSTAS (HALE/MALE UAV) Project
The Canadian Forces JUSTAS Project sprang from USAF requests for over-flights of Canadian territory by Global Hawk strategic surveillance UAVs in 2002. Those flights, as planned, never happened. But, the CF proceeded with tests of its own using smaller, leased UAVs. Both sets of tests involved maritime surveillance trials but recently the JUSTAS requirement was expanded to include deployed battlefield surveillance.

It has yet to be decided whether JUSTAS would be best met by a High Altitude, Long Endurance or a Medium Altitude, Long Endurance UAV. We review both HALE and MALE UAVs arranged by their type and individual candidate models.

• HALE – High Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs

• High Altitude, Long Endurance ( HALE ) UAVs
HALE UAVs offer the greatest sensor range simply by their altitude. Such aircraft rely on SATCOM (or satellite communication) datalinks which will create
a major challenge when operating at high latitudes.

• HALE UAV RQ-4 Global Hawk
Global Hawk is the sole realistic HALE candidate. This is a large and very expensive UAV system. Euro Hawk is a related system – both USAF RQ-4 and Euro Hawk using airframes supplied by Northrop Grumman. However, the EADS electronics skew Euro Hawk towards ELINT likely making the UAV less appealing to the CF.

• MALE – Medium Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs

• Medium Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs
The MALE UAVs came into their own in the opening moves of OP Enduring Freedom. Formerly tactical systems became compact strategic surveillance machines. Because of these more modest roots (or because the technology is simpler ) there is a larger field of MALE UAVs to choose from.

• MALE UAV IAI Malat / EADS Eagle-1
The CU-160 Eagle is familiar to Canadians as
the MALE UAV “chartered” from IAI/EADS
for the PLIX trials flown from Tofino BC in 2003. IAI Malat announced that it will bid on the JUSTAS requirement and its Heron-based Eagle-1 is a logical choice.

• MALE UAV EADS EuroMALE / Eagle-2 EADS has continued developing the Eagle on its own to meet a EuroMALE requirement. To simply things, we refer to the larger Eagle-2 as the EuroMALE. EADS announced its intention to bid on JUSTAS. So, there may be a competition between ‘Eagles’.

• MALE UAV General Atomics Predator-B
‘Predators’ is used almost as a generic term for MALE UAV by DND and CF. General Atomics will compete in JUSTAS but, as we will see, the lineage of their transmogrifying series of Predator UAVs is anything but simple.

• MALE UAV General Atomics Altair/Mariner
One Predator derivative has already seen brief CF service. A long-spanned CU-163 Altair was leased for the 2004 ALIX test. General Atomics regarded this aircraft as a demonstrator for its maritime surveillance Mariner UAV

• MALE UAV Elbit Systems Hermes 900
Elbit is a late-comer to MALE UAVs – being better known for its tactical and mini UAVs. Elbit’s Hermes 900 MALE UAV design was submitted for JAIC. Hermes 900 may also be offered on lease for Project Noctua.

• MALE UAV Elbit Systems Hermes 1500
Elbit’s first foray into MALE UAVs was the twin-engined Hermes 1500. We had assumed that Elbit had offered their 1500 for JAIC. It’s more likely that they offered the Hermes 900 to DND prior to its official unveiling.

For completeness, we also review UAVs that are not in the running for JUSTAS.

The largest grouping would be the tactical UAVs claiming MALE-like endurance. Since DND is still trying to decide between HALE and MALE UAVs, these long- legged TUAV designs would be very unlikely to suit the JUSTAS requirements.

• MALE UAV ‘Also-Rans’ covers those designs – some prominent, some not – which either fall short of the JUSTAS requirements or will not be available in time.

• HALE UAV ‘Also-Rans’ likewise covers those designs which fall short – in the case of HALEs, almost all are ‘paper’ designs which cannot meet JUSTAS needs.

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Background — Canadian Forces UAVs — the JUSTAS Project

JUSTAS – Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System
In late 1999, then-MND, Art Eggleton, rather breathlessly announced that US Global Hawk UAVs would perform overflights of Canada in early 2000. Two flights were planned, one circuiting over Alberta, the second travelling along the coast of British Columbia. In exchange for its permission (and $200000) Canada would get access to some of the data collected.

Those overflights never happened. Tests were first postponed (due to technical problems) until mid-2001 (in part to allow for a record-break- ing Global Hawk flight to Australia). Testing was re-scheduled for 26 June 2001 only to be “postponed indefinitely” by the US on 23 June. Then, in the aftermath of 9/11, these experimental high-altitude UAVs were pressed into operational service. What began as a series of trials aircraft [1] would be proven over Afghanistan not tested over Canada.

In anticipation of those Global Hawk trials, work in Canada had already begun to determine how to best use UAVs. This would lead directly to the JUSTAS project (Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System) to acquire surveillance UAVs by 2010. As a ‘joint’ project, JUSTAS primarily involves the Air Force and Navy (the Army focusing on Tactical and mini UAVs). From 2000 on, the CF has been studying one key question: what category of long endurance UAV – a high altitude strategic system like the Global Hawk or a more modest medium altitude UAV – could patrol Canada’s coasts including the highly demanding High Arctic.

Global Hawk wasn’t the only UAV gaining fame in the early days of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Predator was also building a reputation and its maker, General Atomics, leased DND UAVs to test ( first I-GNAT then Altair, a research equivalent of Predator) its medium altitude long-endurance (or MALE) UAV theories. The final conclusion was to proceed with MALE UAVs for the Pacific and Atlantic coasts with the Arctic requirements to be determined later. In the interim, the CP-140 Aurora would be withdrawn from maritime duty to focus on the Arctic.[2]

[1] Global Hawk was designed by Teledyne Ryan (now part of Northrop Grumman) as an unmanned replacement for the famous U-2 spy plane. The first RQ-4A (‘Block 10’) Global Hawk UAVs were considered Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) aircraft. The USAF retroactively assigned the pre-series designation YRQ-4A to existing RQ-4A Global Hawks modified to test new equipment.
[2] This was revealed in the press on 31 January 2006. The semi-complete $900M CP-140 Aurora Incremental Modernization Program was to be suspended. Due to airframe concerns, only 12 of the existing 18 CP-140s would be retained for NORPAT Arctic sovereignty patrols.

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Background — Canadian Forces Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Trials

“... Velut inter ignis Luna minores ...”
Reports that the Bundeswehr EMT Luna X2000 target acquisition drones in Kabul might be inherited by CF troops proved to be untrue. After filling in for the CF, these German UAVs (which flew 220 operational missions over the Balkans prior to ISAF ) were relieved by the new CU-161 Sperwer tactical UAVs. After a string of CF Sperwer crashes in Kabul, the Bundeswehr announced that it would keep their Luna UAVs, ground stations, and transporters in Afghanistan until the Canadians were able to acheive full operational deployment of the troubled Sperwer.

MALE Attributes — Medium Altitude, Long Endurance
The Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre continued its ongoing UAV tests with a leased IAI Malat CU-160 Eagle MALE off the west coast of Vancouver Island on 11 July 2003. Israeli technicians ran the UAV [1] through its paces in front of military observers from Canada, Britain, France, and the US. The Eagle-1 tested was fitted with search radar in a large belly radome to suit it for maritime patrol of Canada’s coastlines.

This emphasis on maritime surveillance is a dramatic shift away from CFEC’s focus on battlefield reconnaissance at Suffield. The change of roles is also reflected in the vehicle [2] itself which is much larger. DND testing of potential maritime patrol UAVs is to continue with a possible purchase sometime in 2006. The leisurely pace is difficult to understand, particularly in light of an unexpected bonus which came from the Tofino trials when the CU-160 recorded a Chinese freighter trailing a long oil-slick and was able to identify this alleged polluter.

CFEC UAV tests continued with maritime surveillance trials in the Arctic (Baffin Island) and Atlantic Canada in August of 2004. In February 2004, General Atomics had announced that it had been awarded a DND contract to provide one of its Altairs [3] for ALIX (the “Atlantic Littoral Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Experiment”). This UAV is being designated CU-163 Altair for its brief CF service.

[1] The CU-160 is know as the Eagle-1 to its makers. Although, with its 16.5m wing span, the CU-160 Eagle is larger than its predecessors, the Eagle-1 follows the twin-boomed, pusher-propeller layout of the earlier Israeli UAVs. DND’s interest in a coastal patrol UAV mirrors that of Australia’s Coastwatch (which leans towards larger Global Hawks) but CF MALE UAV requirements are now being skewed by a demand for more capable – and likely armed – UAVs that can patrol coasts but also be deployed overseas on combat missions as needed.
[2] The maritime patrol UAV tested at Tofino more closely resembles the Eagle’s predecessor, the IAI Heron than it does other Eagle-1s intended for general reconnaissance (compare photos, above). The bulbous nose of the Eagle-1s purchased by France accomodate radar specialized for land reconnaissance while the Tofino UAV’s underslung radome allows for 360° coverage by a maritime surveillance radar.
[3] Altair is a rather odd choice since this UAV is NASA’s research variant of the USAF Predator B drone. Stranger still, the essentially similar but longer-ranging Mariner (now entering US Navy service) was not chosen despite being a dedicated maritime surveillance UAV. Also see: the Canadian Forces mini-UAV, the CU-167 Silver Fox, which was yet another participant in the Atlantic Littoral ISR experiment.

This CASR Background Index covers Canadian UAVs – those unmanned aerial vehicles, uninhabited aerial vehicles, or what you will. Canadian industry had an early lead in UAVs resulting in some export successes. The Canadian military was less sure about the UAV’s value and their investigations dragged on for decades.

Yet another dragged-out DND procurement project sounds bad, but it might not have been. Unpiloted military aircraft have been around since WWI but, over all, UAVs remain an immature technology. Indeed, that helps explain the confused UAV terminology – ‘robot’ drones were replaced by remotely-controlled aircraft which, in turn, are being eclipsed by UAVs with computerized, onboard guidance.

In other words, fixed and pre-programmed flightpaths were replaced with radio or other remotely-linked control by human operator, and finally independant control through terrain-mapping or satellite-links – or a mix of any of the above controls.

Note: Pages listed/linked below will be arranged by subject, not chronologically

Intelligent Unmanned Aircraft Planned

Skylark UAV.

by Staff Writers
Cambridge MD (SPX) Oct 03, 2006
U.S. researchers say they are creating an intelligent airborne fleet of small, unmanned vehicles for military use. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists and their colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Boeing Phantom Works in Seattle say such unmanned aerial vehicles would require little human supervision and could automatically monitor their own condition.

The existing UAVs can be easily carried in a backpack and launched by hand, but they typically require a team of trained operators on the ground, and perform only short-term tasks individually rather than in coordinated groups.

However, the prototype of the fleet under development would automatically maintain the "health" of its vehicles -- for example, vehicles would anticipate when they need refueling, and new vehicles would automatically launch to replace lost, damaged, or grounded ones.

MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics Professor Jonathan How, who heads the research team, believes such a fleet of UAVs could one day help U.S. military and security agencies in difficult or dangerous missions, such as search-and-rescue operations, sniper detection, convoy protection and border patrol.

The test platform under development consists of five miniature helicopters, each a little smaller than a seagull.

Canada To Buy Thales mini-UAV System

Skylark-2 UAV.

by Staff Writers
Ottawa, Canada (SPX) Oct 03, 2006
Thales Canada has been selected by the Department of National Defence Land Forces to deliver a mini-UAV system based on Elbit's Skylark technology. Thales Canada had already been selected by the Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre (CFEC) for the Silver Fox UAV in 2004.

Virtually undetectable, with its steerable payload (stabilized to provide excellent video quality) and modular design (allows for other payloads to meet Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance requirements), the Skylark offers a very flexible and resourceful system which will provide invaluable "over the hill" visibility to the soldier.

Driven by an electrically powered motor, it has a flight endurance of up to 90 minutes. Designed to be soldier-friendly and highly portable, the Skylark integrates three air vehicles into one backpack and has a ruggedized ground station and communications antenna.

Thales Canada, Systems Division, currently manages two UAV fleets for DND. The Silver Fox UAV, from Advanced Ceramics Research, provided to the Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre, is a modular high performance small UAV to evaluate concepts. With a payload of 4 Kg, an endurance of at least 8 hours and equipped with a specially engineered gasoline engine, this system has been used by each of the three services to explore UAV use.

Thales Canada, Systems Division, caters to DND requirements for Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Critical to the role of performing as a Prime Contractor is understanding the customer's requirements and then matching the best components, including the air vehicle, to provide the premium (value and capability) solution.

Thales is the Prime Contractor for the UK Watchkeeper UAV program, and has recently been awarded a contract by the French defence procurement agency to examine armed UAV concepts.

Thales's Watchkeeper Programme Passes Flight Trials

The Watchkeeper system has been designed for automatic take-off and landing, without the need for pilots during this phase.

by Staff Writers
London, UK (SPX) Aug 14, 2008
Thales UK confirms a further key milestone for the Watchkeeper programme has been met, with the validation of Thales's automatic take-off and landing system, MAGIC ATOLS.

This trial is one of a comprehensive set of trials taking place over the next year and follows on from the first successful flight trials of the Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle (UAV) in April 2008.

On 23 July 2008 automated take-off and landing flights of the Watchkeeper UAV using Thales's MAGIC ATOLS were successfully performed and validated in the presence of the UK Ministry of Defence at Megido airfield in northern Israel.

The Watchkeeper system has been designed for automatic take-off and landing, without the need for pilots during this phase.

Mark Barclay, Managing Director of Thales UK's aerospace business, witnessed the demonstration flights and commented: "This is a major step forward on the Watchkeeper programme and one of a number of trials that are scheduled over the forthcoming months. The MAGIC ATOLS system controlled the take-off and landing of several of the Watchkeeper air vehicle flights without the need for GPS.

"I was pleased to have the opportunity to be present on the day and the success of this demonstration is completely due to the close co-operation of the Thales and Elbit teams on the programme."

Manta UAVs Certified By Korean Civil Aviation Safety Authority

The Manta has a maximum gross take-off weight of 24Kg with a 7Kg payload, a 3m wingspan, and will fly for 4-6 hours. The Manta UAV is equipped with fully autonomous rolling take-off and landing, or can be rail launched.

by Staff Writers
Jeju Island, South Korea (SPX) Aug 15, 2008
Three Manta UAVs received airworthiness certification from the Korean Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to fly from Jeongseok Airport at the beginning of the research project.

The Manta UAVs, manufactured by Advanced Ceramics Research (ACR) of Tucson, Arizona, were issued official consecutive Korean CASA tail numbers: S7049, S7050 and S7051. Under a program funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a two-man ACR flight team is operating the Manta UAVs for atmospheric research scientists to assess Beijing air pollution control efforts during the Olympics (CAPMEX).

The Manta UAV flights are the first ever UAV flights from Jeju Island.

Manta UAVs previously received certifications to fly in civil airspace in the Maldives in 2006 by that country's Civil Aviation Department to study the effects of air pollution above the Indian Ocean, and also from Denmark's Civil Aviation Administration to operate in civil airspace in Greenland in 2007 and 2008 in support of NOAA programs studying conditions on the Greenland Icecap (Greenland).

Manta UAVs are also currently operating in restricted airspace at NASA Dryden where atmospheric scientists are monitoring pollution levels in Southern California (Dryden) for the California Energy Commission (CEC).

The Manta UAV was initially designed and prototyped under funding from the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in 2002, and the first three production units were funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) for a research platform in early 2003.

US Navy's BAMS UAS Program Begins After GAO Ruling

File image.

by Staff Writers
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 14, 2008
The U.S. Government Accountability Office's decision to deny the protest of the U.S. Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAMS UAS) source selection allows efforts to begin under Northrop Grumman's prime contract.

The GAO's ruling underscores that the Navy conducted a fair and open competition to choose a provider for the service's newest UAS for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

"We are very pleased that the GAO has upheld the Navy's source selection decision for the BAMS UAS program," said Ronald D. Sugar, Northrop Grumman chairman and chief executive officer.

"This reaffirms that Northrop Grumman's offering was selected as the best-value determination in a fair and open competition. We look forward to getting back to work on this critical program for our Navy customer."

Latest UAV Spreads It's Wings In Southern Afghanistan

by Staff Writers
Upper Sangin Valley, Afghanisatn (SPX) Aug 19, 2008
UK troops are using a new tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to patrol the skies of the Upper Sangin Valley in southern Afghanistan, helping to identify enemy threats and protect soldiers as they go about their work.

Launched and operated by gunners from 1 Battery, 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, the Desert Hawk III is one of many assets that are employed to help seek out enemy fighters and one of the newest UAVs that the Royal Artillery use. The UAV provides an over-watch capability for soldiers patrolling from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Inkerman near Sangin.

Traditionally 32 Regt RA were the only regiment in the Army that operated these unmanned aircraft, but to ease the operational commitment, 47 Regt have been tasked with flying the new equipment. Lance Bombardier Ricky Talbot explained:

"It is a mini UAV; it provides reconnaissance for the FOB and over looks patrols. If the FOB wants us to check any vulnerable points or firing points we can easily check them with the Desert Hawk."

The Desert Hawk can be launched by just throwing it into the wind, but the gunners have learnt that for the best take off it is best to gain speed before launching and so they launch it from the back of a quad bike.

The UAV flies itself by inputting a route onto a digital map and a GPS within the aircraft follows that route. An operator can also fly the UAV using a simple games console hand controller.

At the end of a flight, the reconnaissance vehicle lands itself and, when it hits the ground, intentionally breaks into nine parts to minimise the stress on the aircraft. Different payloads can be bolted onto the UAV which gives the user alternative cameras and views to look at.

The footage can be viewed live on the screen of a conventional laptop and also recorded to allow playback to commanders.

British Paratroopers from B Company 2 Para, who are operating in the Upper Sangin Valley, patrol the local area. Patrolling is intense and dangerous with an 80 per cent chance of the patrols coming under attack from enemy forces which can be as close as 30m away.

The Operating Base and its men play a vital role in stopping Taliban fighters moving up and down the Sangin Valley.

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CASR Background ~ CF UAVs

Background — DND / CF Project Articles Index

• Canadian Forces UAVs – Introduction and a Brief Historical Background

The Canadian Forces Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Project
The Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre began UAV testing in earnest in April of 2002 at CFB Suffield (right). What emerged from these ongoing trials is a CF require- ment for three distinct forms of UAV – the miniature UAV for short-range reconnaissance, tactical UAVs for overall battlefield awareness, and larger MALE (medium altitude, long endurance) UAVs to patrol Canada’s Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic coastlines.

Canadian UAVs and CF Drone Use
The Canadian Army was one of the first to field what would now be called a battlefield reconnaiss- ance UAV. A brief overview of the Canadair CL-89 Midge and CL-289 tactical UAVs, and the ‘flying peanut’ CL-227 Sentinel.

• UAV Test-Drives – the Canadian Forces’ On-Going Experiment with UAVs

Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre Trials Participants
Three different sizes and types of UAV were trialled by CFEC at CFB Suffield in 2002: FQM-151A Pointer, I-GNAT, and CL-327 Guardian. These non-operational trials employed leased UAVs.

CF UAV – Ongoing Developments and Trials Interim fixes – German ISAF Luna X2000 mini- UAV held over in Kabul while Canada worked out Sperwer’s bugs. Maritime surveillance UAV demonstrations – CU-160 Eagle flying from Tofino BC, and the General Atomics CU-163 Altair on the east coast.

General Atomics CU-163 Altair A single CU-163 Altair (a long-span relative of the better-known US Predator) was leased for the duration of ALIX, the Atlantic Littoral ISR ( Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Experiment.

• JUSTAS (Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System) Project

JUSTAS – the HALE / MALE UAV Project
JUSTAS is a $500M project to procure UAVs to patrol East, West, and then Arctic coasts. High- & medium-altitude UAVs are reviewed and six candidate UAVs (one HALE and five MALE UAVs) are reviewed in detail.

• Tactical UAV – the Canadian Forces’ SAGEM CU-161 Sperwer TUAV

TUAV – SAGEM CU-161 Sperwer Tactical UAV The CF’s ISAF Kabul deployment forced the issue of tactical UAVs. The French-made Sperwer were to prove crash-prone and a big learning curve for CF operators. Despite this, five more were ordered from their makers in late 2005.

CU-161 Sperwer deployment is covered separately. In Sept 2006, DND awarded a contract to SAGEM to “standardize” 10 ex-Danish Sperwer (called Kestrels or Tårnfalken). This will also be covered separately.

• Mini UAVs – the Canadian Forces’ Miniature Tactical UAVs

CF Trials Mini UAV – ACR CU-167 Silver Fox
In April 2004, DND bought Silver Fox mini UAVs and their launchers from ACR for use in CF trials leading up to their miniature UAV contest (below).

Fly-Weights – the CF Mini-UAV Contest. DND bought five Israeli Skylark mini UAVs in March of 2006 with options on a further five. On 29 Nov. 2005, a separate $10M contest was announced for 10 low altitude reconnaissance / surveillance mini UAVs. The outcome was predictable but we will look at the three candidates.

Mini UAV Candidate – IAI Malat I-View. The I-View 50 is a scaled-down, electric-powered version of the already-small IAI Malat I-View (right). I-View UAVs are distinguished by a power-on landing technique, using a para-foil for extra lift.

Elbit Systems Skylark Mini UAV. Israeli mini UAVs dominated the CF competition. Having already been bought as Immediate Operational Requirements, Skylarks had a built-in advantage. Skylark is a simple, hand-launch UAV with podded sensors.

Boeing-Insitu ScanEagle. The Scan- Eagle was the most radical mini UAV candidate. A ScanEagle has no con- ventional landing gear. Take-off is a normal enough catapult launch but ‘landing’ consists of snaring a wingtip hook.

AeroVironment To Develop Stealthy, Persistent, Perch And Stare UAS

Wasp Beach Launch. Credit: AeroVironment.

by Staff Writers
Monrovia CA (SPX) Aug 22, 2008
AeroVironment has announced the receipt of $4.6 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capable of performing "hover/perch and stare" missions.

The Stealthy, Persistent, Perch and Stare (SP2S) UAS is based on AV's small Wasp UAS, a one-pound, 29-inch wingspan battery-powered air vehicle that is being procured and deployed by both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps.

The goal of the Stealthy, Persistent, Perch and Stare program is to develop the technology to enable an entirely new generation of perch-and-stare micro air vehicles capable of flying to difficult targets, landing on and securing to a "perch" position, conducting sustained, perch-and-stare surveillance missions, and then re-launching from its perch and returning to its home base.

"A UAS that performs hover/perch and stare missions is viewed as an important capability for our armed forces," said John Grabowsky, AV executive vice president and general manager of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

"Our production Wasp incorporates the latest technologies to provide a day and night capable, hand-launched UAS that fits into a standard backpack while still providing room for other important supplies. We believe that the Wasp-based SP2S, operated with our joint, common ground control unit, is on track to develop into a portable, practical and affordable perch-and-stare micro air vehicle," he added.

U.S. armed forces including the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and USSOCOM, as well as international forces such as those of Italy, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands, use AV's hand-launched UAS and handheld ground control unit for missions that include base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning, battle damage assessment and force protection.

Raven, Wasp and Puma AE each have won full and open competitions sponsored by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense, becoming the sole small UAS for their respective programs of record. AV has delivered more than 10,000 new, replacement and refurbished small unmanned aircraft to date.

Predator Passes 400,000 Flight Hours

A MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system assigned to the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron takes off for a training mission May 19 at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Larry E. Reid Jr.)

by Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher
Air Combat Command Public Affairs
Langley AFB VA (SPX) Aug 21, 2008
The MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system surpassed 400,000 flight hours during a mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 18.

Members of the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., flew the milestone mission in support of continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"15th Reconnaissance Squadron personnel have been involved with every major operation in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom since the inception of combat operations," said Lt. Col. Robert Kiebler, the 15th RS commander.

"Every day our people have a direct and lasting impact on combat operations in the AOR," said Colonel Kiebler. "They provide critical (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) to ground commanders, enable the tracking, capture and death of enemy insurgents and provide lifesaving overwatch to coalition forces."

Declared operational in 1995, the Predator's primary mission is to provide armed reconnaissance, airborne surveillance and target acquisition to commanders in the field. The Predator can be armed with two laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and carries the Multispectral Targeting System, which integrates electro-optical, infrared, laser designator and laser illuminator into a single sensor package.

This combination of capabilities has made the Predator a lethal and nimble platform, said Col. Chris Chambliss, the 432nd AEW commander.

"Technology today is allowing us to take aviation capabilities to new levels, and the Predator is a perfect example of how UAS support is making a difference in the fight," Colonel Chambliss said.

"The aircraft's armed reconnaissance capabilities provide our ground forces the unblinking eye that can also engage hostile targets either on its own or in combination with manned aircraft like the F-16 Fighting Falcon. If that's not an awesome weapons system, I don't know what one is."

The Predator fleet passed 250,000 hours in June 2007 after 12 years of flying, but took only 14 months to fly the additional 150,000 hours after continuous demand for the aircraft by combatant commanders.

The high demand has led to a "surge of production" at the 703rd Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in order to meet a requirement for 31 combat air patrols by April 2009, said Col. Christopher Coombs, the 703rd AESG commander.

"The warfighter can't get enough Predator time," Colonel Coombs said.

"The 703rd has been performing heroics fielding more than 165 MQ-1s since 1998, multiplying MQ-1's global reach through remote split operations, expanding its role to 'killer' by incorporating Hellfire missiles, surging production to meet an 2009 31-CAP requirement and accelerating the original plan of 21 CAPs by 2010. We broke through 200,000 hours in 2006, 300,000 in 2007, and now cruising past 400,000 hours at a clip of about 14,000 hours a month."

Colonel Chambliss said the flight hours are high for a simple reason -- ground forces need Predator support.

"This milestone only serves to illustrate the 432nd Wing's absolute obligation to our ground forces," he said. "Four hundred thousand flight hours is a huge number, and it takes thousands of men and women here at Creech and our Air National Guard partners at their bases grinding it out to continue to fight over Iraq and Afghanistan every hour of every day."

The success of the Predator in combat is a credit to the Airmen who fly, operate and maintain it, said Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip, the 12th Air Force commander.

"It takes great skill to operate the most persistent strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform in the world," General Seip said. "The men and women of the 432nd Wing have proved time and again that they are the most qualified for the job, which is why the Predator remains one of the most sought-after assets in the war on terrorism."

Colonel Chambliss said 400,000 hours is just another stepping stone in what will be a long and distinguished career for the aircraft.

"While it's an honor to be a part of such a historic event, this is only one of many more UAS milestones to come," he said.

At their current rate, the Predator will pass 500,000 flight hours in early 2009.

The speed in which the Predator passed 400,000 hours coupled with its high demand and success rate, is indicative of the contributions Airmen are making for CENTCOM every day, said Gen. John D.W. Corley, the commander of Air Combat Command.

"Our Airmen are flying missions 24 hours a day, seven days a week and doing it so well that our combatant commanders are constantly asking for more. And they're getting it," General Corley said.

"Thanks to our UAS Airmen, there is no telling, in the space of 400,000 hours, how many servicemembers' lives have been saved, how many insurgents have been taken out and how many attacks against coalition forces have been stopped before they began."

QinetiQ's Zephyr UAV Unofficial World Record For Longest Unmanned Flight

by Staff Writers
Yuma AZ (SPX) Aug 26, 2008
Zephyr's reputation as the world's leading solar powered high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has been reinforced with a world-beating three and a half day flight at the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

The solar powered plane flew for 82 hours 37 minutes, exceeding the current official world record for unmanned flight which stands at 30 hours 24 minutes set by Global Hawk in 2001 and Zephyr's previous longest flight of 54 hours achieved last year.

The UK Ministry of Defence has funded the development of Zephyr to date and has partnered with the US Department of Defense (DoD) under their Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) Programme - which is designed to move urgently needed technologies rapidly into the hands of US forces in the field.

The US DoD funded the demonstration flight under the Programme and this was the first time the two governments have participated in a joint demonstration of a HALE UAV.

JCTD projects are specially tailored to meet the needs of US combatant commands. Zephyr is supported by USCENTCOM, the combatant command with responsibility for Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) for Advanced Systems and Concepts (AS and C) and the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC).

Launched by hand, Zephyr is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre aircraft. By day it flies on solar power generated by amorphous silicon solar arrays no thicker than sheets of paper that cover the aircraft's wings.

By night it is powered by rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries, supplied by SION Power Inc, which are recharged during the day using solar power.

The flight trial at Yuma took place between 28 and 31 July in the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert in mid summer with temperatures up to 45oC (113oF).

Zephyr was flown on autopilot and via satellite communications to a maximum altitude of more than 60,000ft. The trial included a military utility assessment of a US Government communications payload.

Simon Bennett, Managing Director of QinetiQ's Applied Technologies business said: "The Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona was an appropriate setting for Zephyr's world beating flight as many landmark aviation developments have taken place there in recent years.

In addition to setting a new unofficial record, the trial is a step towards the delivery of Zephyr's capability for joint, real-time, battlefield persistent surveillance and communications to forces in the field at the earliest opportunity."

Reaper Drops Laser-Guided Bomb On Anti-Iraqi Forces

by Staff Writers
Joint Base Balad, Iraq (SPX) Aug 27, 2008
An MQ-9 Reaper dropped a 500-pound bomb against an anti-Iraqi target Aug. 16 in one of the first weapons engagements for the unmanned aircraft system.

The Reaper began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom July 18 and joined the MQ-1 Predator as another UAS patrolling the sky to protect coalition forces.

The successful airstrike, which destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, demonstrates the persistent strike capability that the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing provides commanders on the ground, said Brig. Gen. Brian T. Bishop, the 332nd AEW commander.

"We are here to integrate airpower into joint operations in Iraq, and ensuring we make the most of our unmanned-aerial-system capabilities is just one of many ways we do that," General Bishop said. "With our ability to provide persistent stare and persistent strike, we provide a clear battlefield assessment and quick responses to commanders when they need it."

During an overwatch mission over southeast Iraq, Reaper operators from the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance and Attack Squadron at Joint Base Balad discovered a suspicious vehicle. The Airmen immediately relayed the information to personnel in a local ground unit, said Lt. Col. Micah Morgan, the 46th ERAS commander.

After the suspicious vehicle was confirmed to be a VBIED -- a variant of the No. 1 killer of Americans on the battlefield -- a joint terminal attack controller cleared the Reaper to employ a GBU-12 laser-guided weapon against the vehicle.

"This was a great example of the Reaper's unique capabilities," Colonel Morgan said. "We searched for, found, fixed, targeted and destroyed a target with just one aircraft."

Unmanned aircraft system aircrews' fusion of the warfighting domains of air, space and cyberspace enables them uniquely to share critical information with JTACs and other command and control elements, ensuring that they hit the right target, Colonel Morgan said.

"We go to great lengths to avoid unnecessary damage, and the Reaper's unique capabilities allow it to play a key role in our highly disciplined targeting process," he said.

The 46th ERAS flies both Reaper and Predators. Its aircrews directly control all Reaper operations in Iraq and provide launch and recovery for Predator operations. During UAS missions, they can communicate with critical partners worldwide using a mix of radio, telephone and secure Internet systems.

LockMart Demos Airspace Deconfliction Of Multiple UAVs

"Our work will improve safety and mission success for future UAV systems and for the Warfighters who depend upon them." - David Van Brackle.

by Staff Writers
Cherry Hill NJ (SPX) Aug 28, 2008
Lockheed Martin's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Airspace Management System (UAMS) solved one of the more difficult challenges facing military services and their industry partners by successfully demonstrating the ability to deconflict groups of in-flight UAVs during a test near Pittsburgh, PA.

Sponsored by the Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, a team lead by Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) developed UAMS as a battalion echelon system that deconflicts flight paths of multiple, small UAVs with limited on-board sensors, communications and processing resources.

UAMS also uses its own on-board sensors to "see-and-avoid" obstacles and other aircraft.

"The successful use of UAMS on in-flight UAVs caps three years of program development," said David Van Brackle, ATL's UAMS project manager. "Our work will improve safety and mission success for future UAV systems and for the Warfighters who depend upon them."

Industrial 6-Rotor Unmanned Helicopter Provides HighDef Video And Imaging

Draganflyer X6 Helicopter

by Staff Writers
Saskatoon, Canada (SPX) Sep 04, 2008
Draganfly Innovations has announced the launch of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter, a miniature aircraft for commercial/industrial aerial video and photography. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is easy to fly, capable of operating autonomously, and has an appearance that is nothing like a conventional helicopter.

The unique design utilizes six main horizontal rotor blades and allows the Draganflyer X6 helicopter to hover efficiently and maneuver rapidly using differential thrust.

Remotely controlled aircraft are available for many purposes, and most fall into a class somewhere between toys and the high quality models piloted by hobbyists. Beyond this class is a large gap approaching the point where full size aircraft must be used to achieve tasks such as commercial photography and industrial inspection.

In the past this gap was filled by model aircraft with additional equipment grafted on, which required skilled and trained pilots to operate. Draganfly Innovations has created a better alternative; a purpose built self-stabilizing multiple rotor helicopter specifically designed for filming high definition video and photographing high-resolution aerial pictures.

The Draganflyer X6 is a fully functional miniature unmanned electric powered helicopter. Aimed at industrial and commercial use, it provides reconnaissance and inspection information using on-board wireless video and still cameras. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is able to fly autonomously or can be flown manually by remote control. T

he Draganflyer X6 helicopter achieves its stability by using an on-board processor running more than ten thousand lines of code and receiving data from eleven on-board sensors (three gyros, three accelerometers, three magnetometers, one barometric pressure sensor, and one GPS receiver). It can be piloted by users with minimal or zero training.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter determines its own orientation and motion and moves where the operator instructs it, automatically handling the complex attitude and altitude adjustments that would ordinarily require a practiced pilot. "The ease with which this helicopter can be piloted is the most revolutionary feature of the Draganflyer X6" says company president, Zenon Dragan.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter can be put into GPS hold mode where it will maintain its position without any user input. This means that after activating GPS hold, the pilot can set the handheld controller on the ground while the Draganflyer X6 helicopter flies itself. This mode will allow the user to focus on other tasks such as aerial photography from the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses interchangeable cameras, covering different areas of use. A high definition video camera provides 1080p resolution. For dawn and dusk use, there is a low light (0.0001lux) video camera.

For night use or search and rescue, the thermal FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) camera provides heat vision. High-resolution photographs can be captured with the 10.1 mega-pixel digital still camera. When using any of the camera modules, a viewfinder video signal is streamed wirelessly back to the operator for real-time viewing on video glasses. The camera mount tilts by remote control, and the helicopter can pan side to side or in a circle.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses six custom designed high efficiency carbon fiber rotors and direct drive brushless motors which result in a quiet and maintenance free helicopter. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter weighs 1kg and has a payload capacity of 500 grams.

Durability and safety have been incorporated into the design of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter. With dual motors on each of the three arms, even if an in-flight collision causes one of the motors or rotors to stop working, the Draganflyer X6 helicopter will still be able to keep flying using the remaining five motors.

This ability to fly with a missing motor or rotor is not found in any other comparable helicopter. Other safety features include bright LED navigation lights for safe flying at a distance or in darkness, and automatic self-landing if the radio link controlling the helicopter is lost. An on-board flight recorder (black box) stores telemetry and flight data in a removable memory card, and can be used for post flight analysis.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is flown using a custom designed handheld controller with a 2.8" color OLED touchscreen that displays telemetry and flight data. The handheld controller also receives streaming video sent by the Draganflyer X6 helicopter and passes this to the video goggles, enabling the operator to view what the helicopter is seeing while also keeping an eye on the helicopter itself.

Virtual Reality Project Could Improve UAV Operations

The virtual reality environment will enable participants to see the vehicles, the surrounding airspace and the terrain they are flying over as well as information from instruments, cameras, radar and weapons systems. This approach can solve the critical operational and training challenges that must be overcome to allow an operator to simultaneously monitor and control several UAVs at the same time.

by Staff Writers
Arlington VA (SPX) Sep 12, 2008
An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-managed team is building a virtual reality environment for the battlespace initiative to maximize the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to Iowa State University lead researcher Dr. James Oliver, the team is applying advanced physical and eye-tracking systems and voice interfaces.

"Our goal is to provide role specific interfaces for a team and shared situational awareness using a large display," Dr. Oliver said.

The team initially is trying to solve significant human interface issues arising from limitations affecting operators who control UAVs from the ground. They are also designing and testing the hardware, software and aeronautical systems to create immersive ground control stations based on virtual reality technology.

"We are using a virtual environment of the battleground as the primary interface context, with the variety of information sources available in a modern military engagement," Dr. Oliver said.

"We're also developing and measuring the effectiveness of new human interface techniques, which will enable operators to effectively control multiple, semi-autonomous aircraft. Already, up to 230 persons can be interfaced to participate in the system simultaneously."

The virtual reality environment uses a 3-D audiovisual stereoscopic facility, with six walls, 24 projectors, ultrasonic motion tracking, eight-channel audio and a graphics computer. The context has many benefits including large field of view and innovative information representation.

This approach can solve the critical operational and training challenges that must be overcome to allow an operator to simultaneously monitor and control several UAVs at the same time.

"We are also exploring new ways to employ virtual reality to address the challenge of time lag that is characteristic of applications where machines are operated at a distance," Dr. Oliver added.

US drones bring fear and firepower to Qaeda war in Pakistan

Residents in Dande Darpa Khel say until recently, one drone would comb the region late at night or early in the morning. But now, two or three will fly together, around the clock.

by Staff Writers
Miranshah, Pakistan (AFP) Sept 14, 2008
Two air-to-ground missiles ripped through the sky before smashing into the house where a Taliban leader with close links to Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding.

"There was a glittering flash of light and a prolonged roar," said Hameedullah Khan, one of the first on the scene of Monday's suspected US drone strike in the Pakistani town of Dande Darpa Khel, near the Afghan border.

Two white drones circled the area for hours ahead of the attack that left 21 people dead, including women and children, residents told AFP.

"We recovered 10 bodies. Some were mutilated, some charred. We could not identify if the victims were locals or foreigners. But we could distinguish that children were among the dead," Khan said.

Missile strikes targeting Islamic militants in Pakistan's rugged tribal areas in recent weeks have been blamed on US-led coalition forces or CIA drones based in Afghanistan. Pakistan does not have missile-equipped drones.

In the past 12 days, five strikes have been carried out, targeting suspected Taliban or Al-Qaeda bases.

The reputed target of Monday's attack, veteran Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, was not among those killed, and the devastation left on the ground seems only to have strengthened the Taliban's influence on local civilians.

"After about an hour, the Taliban turned up," said Khan, who helped in the rescue work at Dande Darpa Khel.

"They ringed a building and erected a tent (to treat casualties) nearby," the 35-year-old said.

"Then they recovered more bodies and wounded who were sent to hospital."

Washington says Pakistan's mountainous tribal regions have become a safe haven for Islamic fighters waging an insurgency against international troops based across the border.

But the increasingly frequent missile attacks, for which the United States has not claimed responsibility, are straining Pakistan's relationship with its key ally.

Civilian deaths have stirred local anger and embarrassed the Pakistani government, already struggling to tackle the militancy that has seen 1,200 of its own people die in bombings and suicide attacks in the past year alone.

Pakistan's army, itself engaged in fierce clashes against militants linked to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the border regions, has also condemned what it sees as unilateral US action that violates the country's sovereignty.

Residents in Dande Darpa Khel say until recently, one drone would comb the region late at night or early in the morning. But now, two or three will fly together, around the clock.

"They keep on flying in our skies with full immunity and people are scared," said Abdus Khan, a 22-year-old student, adding that the prospect of further attacks may lead people to flee the area.

The US believes that Bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, are hiding in the tribal regions, but Pakistan security officials say the increase in missile attacks is ineffective.

"Pakistan's army is fully-fledged in crushing Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters," a senior military official told AFP.

"The Americans must show patience and let us succeed in our strategy. When they launch unilateral strikes it is only counter-productive," he added.

Riffat Hussain, head of peace and conflict studies at Islamabad's National Defence University, said the strikes were undermining the fight to combat militancy in the tribal belt.

"This is playing into the hands of the extremists, especially when civilian collateral damage is much higher than the actual damage the Americans think they are causing to militant outfits or sanctuaries," Hussain said.

"These attacks will further strain Pakistan's efforts to play up to its role as a key ally of the United States in the global fight against terrorism."

earlier related report
Three arrested over 'wrong information' ahead of Afghan strikes
Afghan police have arrested three men alleged to have provided international troops with "wrong information" that led to air strikes said to have killed more than 90 civilians, police said Friday.

The three were on a list of people provided to President Hamid Karzai by locals who alleged they had misinformed troops ahead of the August 22 strikes, the head of police intelligence in the western province of Herat told AFP.

"We arrested three people who were on the list. The operation is going on to arrest the others," Mohammad Musa Rasouli said.

Locals had said "these people on the list gave wrong information to foreign troops," Rasouli said. He could not immediately give details about the list or the people arrested.

The interior ministry also announced the arrests of three men in a statement that gave no further details.

Karzai visited Shindand district on September 4 and met with people who lost relatives in the strikes. He promised to arrest anyone whose "false information" may have guided the attack, an aide said.

A villager told AFP during Karzai's visit that locals believed four people who had been "spying" for the troops had passed them false information.

Afghan and UN rights investigations based on interviews with locals and video footage said that more than 90 civilians were killed, many of them children, in the early morning strikes.

The US military said however that between five and seven civilians were killed along with 30-35 Taliban, including an important commander. It has since agreed to review its investigation.

Karzai sacked two senior army commanders days after the incident.

A toll of 90 would make it one of the deadliest such incidents since the United States led troops into Afghanistan seven years ago to remove the Taliban from government and round up extremist militants.

Russian Army Adopts New Reconnaissance Drones

The Tipchak UAV.

by Staff Writers
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Sep 15, 2008
Russia's Defense Ministry has ordered a large number of new-generation unmanned reconnaissance drones to be put in service in the next few years, a Russian electronics company said on Wednesday.

"Several dozen Tipchak UAV systems will enter service with the Russian army in the next few years," said Vladimir Verba, general director of the Vega Radio Engineering Corp. "The first system will be delivered by the end of 2008."

The new-generation Tipchak mobile aerial system has been designed for reconnaissance and target designation purposes on the battlefield in any weather conditions.

It operates up to six UAVs launched from a pneumatic catapult. Each UAV has a range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and can provide targeting for artillery and theater-based ballistic missiles at distances up to 350 km (about 220 miles).

The drone is fitted with infrared and video sensors and has a real-time digital data link for communication with artillery units for laser-guided targeting.

"Our next project is the development of an attack drone based on the current design," Verba said.