UAV innovations could change face of war

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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (ACCNS) --   Unmanned Aerial Vehicles could start playing a more active role in missions to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses if a UAV Battlelab initiative proves successful.

Fit testing of a new Joint Multi-Platform Weapons Carriage System took place at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev., June 17.

The carriage system could allow several UAVs to carry high-speed anti-radiation missile targeting system pods and also allow remotely piloted aircraft such as MQ-1 and MQ-9 Predators to carry a variety of weapons in greater quantities.

Right now, we do Wild Weasel suppression of enemy air defense missions with F-16CJs, said Lt. Col. Scott McKinney, UAV Battlelab Operating Location Alpha division chief at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The goal of the Little Weasel initiative is to provide persistent battlefield suppression and allow UAVs to become a part of this key Air Force mission.

Whenever we can shoot the enemy before they can shoot us, it gives our forces the advantage, said Lt. Col. Mike Stroud, UAV Battlelab deputy commander and former F-4G Wild Weasel weapons systems officer. A Predator equipped with a HARM targeting system pod could remain in the target area longer than a fighter, and it could get closer to a target without endangering any aircrew. The system could then pass the threat information to an F-16CJ Wild Weasel pilot who could use a HARM to engage the surface-to-air missile system threat while remaining outside the targets threat range.

In order for Predators to support the F-16CJ HARM targeting pod, it was necessary to develop the Joint Multi-Platform Weapons Carriage System. Developers soon discovered the carriage system could do more than just carry the HARM targeting pod.

The way we were looking to bring the UAVs into the mission was to just put the targeting pods onto the UAVs, said Colonel McKinney. But, rather than creating a carriage system that would only work just for the pod, the developers created one with the capability to carry munitions as well.

Weve gone down a different path and created a potential system for Predators that could give them the ability to carry more weapons than just the Hellfire (missile), added Colonel McKinney. With this new carriage system, we have the capability to carry many more compatible weapons systems such as gravity-drop munitions.

The additional weapons offer more flexibility for the [mission] planners, said Colonel Stroud. We could increase our target selections while decreasing collateral damage. It will no longer be about dropping the munitions and having them go on their merry way. With the carriage system, we could use GPS and other laser-guided weapons.