Expendable Remotely Piloted Vehicles for Strategic Offensive ...

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Cruise missiles do not provide man-in-the-loop capability nor muchflexibility to control their actions once launched. However, in essence theyare the payload which is an advantage in itself. This is because all the factorsassociated with weapons loading (equipment, personnel, maintenance,training, etc.) are not required.The expendable RPV has an advantage in that like the cruise missile, itis the payload. Unlike the cruise missile, it has a man in the loop to decideand control when and where it attacks. If for any reason targets arenot suitable for attack, the controller can direct it to crash in a safe zoneor self-destruct in the air.Relative Ranks for Control of Payload AreaManned AircraftCruise MissilesReusable Remotely Piloted VehiclesExpendable Remotely Piloted Vehicles●●●Less Complex Communications and Control SystemLess complex communications and control system is an area of advantagefor the cruise missile. Although it is a complex system, a cruise missile is primarilyautonomous; and its mission profile is set prior to launch. Manneda i rcraft, such as the F-117 and the B-2, have the most complex communicationsand control equipment. Redundant systems are necessary to ensurethe pilot has reliable communications and control capabilities. Complex control systems are becoming more widely used, such as fly-by-wire (a systemof computers which provide control inputs to permit operation of an airc r a f tbeyond what is mentally and physically possible by a human).For RPVs it is not that their currently complex control systems pose adisadvantage, it is the fact that they will have to become increasingly morecomplex over time in order to protect the data link. The data link is themajor factor in determining whether an RPV can truly be remotely piloted.In order to obtain a secure data link, developers may have to work in concertwith Global Positioning System defense efforts currently under way. 59Militaries could establish concepts of operation whereby communicationsare kept to a minimum, and intermittent bursts provide updates. Shouldthe data link be vulnerable, developers can design several optional systemsto take control. Preprogrammed controls could direct the vehicle tospecified areas (away from data-link interference or jamming) to reacquirea control signal. For expendable RPVs operating in a conflict, the programcould direct the vehicle to autonomously attack (like a cruise missile).While this study’s classification level restricts an in-depth discussion ofthis subject, the author fully acknowledges the data link is—and will alwaysbe—a major concern. The US military must take steps to secure itsuse for friendly forces and research ways to deny its use by adversaries.53
All forms of manned and unmanned aircraft require complex communicationsand control systems. Cruise missiles are the least reliant ontransmitting and receiving data. Manned aircraft are more heavily relianton voice communication systems while RPVs are more heavily reliant ondata control systems. Future efforts must keep ahead of the pace of countermeasuredevelopments.Relative Ranks for Less Complex Communicationand Control System AreaManned AircraftCruise MissilesReusable Remotely Piloted VehiclesExpendable Remotely Piloted Vehicles●Aircraft Control (Navigation, Stability,and Maneuverability)A i rcraft control (navigation, stability, and maneuverability) is an area thatis changing rapidly among both manned and unmanned aircraft. Navigationand stability are provided by various means in diff e rent systems, and all perfo rm well according to their design. Maneuverability is the primary area thatdistinguishes the diff e rent aerial vehicles from one another.A cruise missile has the least amount of flexibility in maneuverable controlsince its preprogrammed mission largely dictates its maneuvers.Manned strategic assets have a wide range of maneuverability. Stealth aircraftare maneuverable, but their range of maneuverability is limited bydesign to reduce radar cross sections. Future aircraft, such as the F-22air superiority fighter and the multirole joint strike fighter, will incorporatestealth and maneuverability to the greatest extent possible. However,future UAV capabilities could conceptually go well beyond what anymanned aircraft would be able to perform. According to New World Vistas:UCAV survivability can be increased by increasing maneuverability beyond thatwhich can be tolerated by a human pilot. Acceleration limits for inhabited aircraftare, typically, +9g or 10g and -3g. A UCAV can be designed symmetricallyto accelerate in any direction immediately . . . a UCAV with a +10g capabilitycould outfly many missiles, and an acceleration capability of +20g will make theUCAV superior to nearly all missiles. 60Relative Ranks for Aircraft Control(Navigation, Stability, and Maneuverability) AreaManned AircraftCruise MissilesReusable Remotely Piloted VehiclesExpendable Remotely Piloted Vehicles●●●54
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Expendable Remotely PilotedVehicles
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ContentsChapterDISCLAIMER . . . . .
Page 5 and 6:
AbstractThe future holds an acceler
Page 7 and 8: AcknowledgmentsI thank all the stud
Page 9 and 10: aircraft. Incorporating the added d
Page 11 and 12: UAVs were more easily defined when
Page 13 and 14: Chapter 4 answers the question: Why
Page 15 and 16: Chapter 2History and BackgroundWe h
Page 17 and 18: The Wright brothers are deservedly
Page 19 and 20: aerial bombs), the British took the
Page 21 and 22: UAVs during World War II to a few g
Page 23 and 24: On 27 October of that year, another
Page 25 and 26: United States to look beyond reconn
Page 27 and 28: ary 1996, Gen Ronald R. Fogleman, A
Page 29 and 30: 29. Shaker and Wise, 28.30. Michael
Page 31 and 32: Chapter 3Strategic Offensive Airpow
Page 33 and 34: ombs, as well as a high sortie rate
Page 35 and 36: It thus follows that future air cam
Page 37 and 38: possible for small formations to ac
Page 39 and 40: spite the successes, it is easily p
Page 41 and 42: The transmissions used by a control
Page 43 and 44: 33. Air Force Scientific Advisory B
Page 45 and 46: diverted 75 percent of its B-29s aw
Page 47 and 48: Table 6Remotely Piloted Vehicle Adv
Page 49 and 50: million dollars each. The unit flya
Page 51 and 52: Relative Ranks for Fewer Design Con
Page 53 and 54: mission) the open bomb bay doors si
Page 55 and 56: Relative Ranks for Flight Noise Are
Page 57: Owens also stated that the military
Page 61 and 62: Relative Ranks for Reliability Area
Page 63 and 64: KEY: ● Major Advantage Counterba
Page 65 and 66: 7. “Report: Military Crashes Down
Page 67 and 68: 62. McGonigle, 34.63. Ibid., 33.64.
Page 69 and 70: expendable RPVs, American political
Page 71 and 72: cybornaut activates engine thruster
Page 73 and 74: Chapter 6ConclusionConstant evaluat
Page 75: one role. A countless combination o
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