UAV Roadmap - Unmanned Aircraft & Drones

UAV Roadmap 2000 - Section 5.0Operations• Base infrastructure otherwise not needed to support unmanned operations (altitudechambers, etc.) must be retained to support global mobility requirements for mannedassets as well.• Service “train as you fight” doctrines will require unmanned assets to fly trainingmissions with manned assets to train their aircrews in cooperative tactics, regardlessof the needs of the UAV.5.5 Communication InfrastructureThe shortage in long haul, wideband other-the-horizon communications will beexacerbated as future ISR platforms, manned and unmanned, are fielded, asdescribed in section 4.2.5. This shortage takes two forms, insufficient bandwidth andlack of coverage in some geographic areas, which can directly constrict global UAVdeployment. This infrastructure needs to be increased as these platforms, includingUAVs, are fielded.5.6 Cooperative UAV FlightBrig Gen Daniel P. Leaf, commander of the USAF Air Expeditionary Wing atAviano, Italy, during Operation Allied Force, identified three capabilities needed byUAVs to fly safely and effectively with manned aircraft, based on his experience withboth over Kosovo:• Massing – the ability to come together as a formation to overwhelm defenses andminimize losses;• “Rolexing” – the ability to adjust mission timing on the move to compensate forinevitable changes to plans and still make the time-on-target;• Situational Awareness (SA) – expanding the soda-straw field of view used bycurrent UAVs that negatively affects their ability to provide SA for themselves,much less for others in a formation.Although manned versus unmanned flight was deconflicted by segregated airspaceover Kosovo, the goal of cooperative UAV flight is to conduct operations in integratedairspace. UAVs will have to communicate and interact with each other and with mannedaircraft to achieve maximum effectiveness. Consequently they will be required toposition themselves when and where needed for optimum use. This positioning willrange from station keeping in wide spread constellations to close formation with otherUAVs and/or manned aircraft. Such cooperation will enable survivable penetration ofdefended airspace and permit time compressed coordinated target attacks. Thedevelopment of the necessary command and control, communications, sensor andweapon technologies, along with their associated software, will be central to fieldingthese breakthrough capabilities.47