For the first time in history, long-dwell UAVs are allowing tactical commanders total real-time knowledge of the disposition of enemy forces on the battlefield. This ability to characterise the battlefield in real time will enable tactical commanders to see first and then strike first with precision-guided weapons. This ability to strike first with deadly accuracy will mean forces can penetrate the fog of war and dominate battlefields as never before.
| The GNAT has been flying since 1989 |
Past methods used to gather surveillance and intelligence information on opposition forces allowed only infrequent visits to the area of interest and, even then, the information was late arriving at the tactical key decision-maker on the battlefield. All previous methods of surveillance and reconnaissance from scouting patrols, observation balloons, reconnaissance aircraft and even the most sophisticated satellites share this limitation. Even satellites that can broadcast surveillance imagery directly to tactical decision-makers on the battlefield in real time are not available to provide information around the clock. With their orbital patterns, they are over the target area for a short time only once or twice each day as they pass overhead on their orbits.
As was demonstrated in the Gulf War, satellites are predictable and can be defeated simply by hiding assets when satellites are overhead. To the frustration of all concerned, the Iraqis were able to terrorise coalition forces at will with primitive unguided Scud missiles and the coalition's most sophisticated surveillance assets were incapable of finding them. A long-dwell UAV that could stay over Scud boxes for 24 hours a day and provide real-time targeting information would have defeated the Iraqi Scud tactics. The ability of long-dwell UAVs to defeat the Scuds' hide-shoot-hide tactics was demonstrated vividly in exercise Roving Sands '95. During this exercise, satellites, U-2s, tactical reconnaissance aircraft and a three-aircraft detachment of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator aircraft were used in an air- defence exercise against a Scud missile threat. It is significant that not a single Scud was located by assets other than Predator. Every Scud kill during this month-long exercise was attributed directly to Predator's ability to be on station around the clock and so deny the Scuds' hide-shoot-hide tactics.
Several factors have combined to enable the UAV to become a crucial surveillance/reconnaissance asset on the battlefield.
First is the use of lightweight graphite composites that enable modern UAVs to carry more than double their empty weight in payload and fuel. This translates into tremendous increases in performance without the requirements to increase thrust or horsepower.
The second breakthrough is in the charge-couple device (CCD) technology that allows video cameras weighing only a few pounds to replace the ponderous heavy surveillance camera systems and provide very high resolution video of the battlefield at a faction of the payload weight.
The third is small, compact, inertial-guidance and global-positioning systems that allow very precise navigation and pinpoint real-time targeting capability.
The fourth, and probably the most critical, element is the ability to transfer the very high data rates through modern high-bandwidth data links. These links come in small packages and allow full-motion video to be passed in real time even over the horizon via satellite.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has been at the forefront in developing and fielding these long-dwell UAVs. The company's GNAT-750 and Predator unmanned aircraft have revolutionised thinking on the use of UAVs and set the standard for future UAV development. These capable and versatile unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are useful in a broad range of surveillance and reconnaissance applications.
The GNAT-750 offers long endurance (over 40 hours), large payload capacity (over 200lbs), ease of use and low maintenance while providing a very low cost per flight hour. The state-of-the-art GNAT-750 has been flying since 1989. This multi-functional UAV uses conventional take-off and landing and can operate from a graded soft field to a commercial run-way. The Rotax 582 power plant allows the GNAT to operate up to altitudes of 25,000ft at airspeeds up to 150KIAS. Its variable frequency line-of-sight (LOS) data link allows real-time video to be transmitted to a ground control station (GCS) 150 miles away. The GNAT-750 also can fly autonomously through a preprogrammed flight to ranges beyond a thousand miles, record surveillance video and then retransmit the video to the GCS when it regains LOS. The GNAT is operational with the US government and has been exported to Turkey. It is being procured by the Department of Defense, by NASA for scientific research and has been used by the UK Department of the Environment for atmospheric research. The GNAT-750 system is on its fourth combat deployment.
The Predator is an evolution of the GNAT-750. It uses common EO/IR payload, data link, avionics and mechanical systems developed on the GNAT-750 and incorporates a Rotax 912 engine. The Predator uses the increased pay-load volume to house UHF and Ku band satellite data links, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and fuel for extended endurance (up to 60 hours). Predator is being procured by the US Department of Defense (DOD).
Predator, also known officially as Tier II and medium altitude endurance (MAE) UAV program, was one of the original DOD advanced concept technology demonstrations (ACTD). A contract for 10 aircraft and integration of the overall system was awarded to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc in January 1994. Separate contracts were awarded to Westinghouse for the synthetic aperture radar and to Loral for the satellite communications system. The programme was placed under the control of the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO) headed by Lt. Gen. Israel with Capt. Rutherford as programme manager.
| Forward-looking infra-red cameras provide clear night vision at long distance |
The first aircraft flew in July 1994, less than a year after contract award, and the first three aircraft were delivered to the UAV training centre at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in October 1994. Predators were deployed to New Mexico for the Roving Sands exercise in April 1995 and to Key West, Florida for a Special Operations Command exercise in June 1995. Less than a year after its first flight, Predator deployed to Albania to conduct flight operations over Bosnia. Predator flew over 850 hours and 128 missions in support of NATO operations Provide Promise, Deny Flight and Deliberate Force during its first deployment. Predator redeployed to Hungary to support Bosnia operations on March 1, 1996 with its SAR installed.
The SAR allows true all-weather surveillance for the first time from a UAV in combat. Predator has also demonstrated its ability to support carrier battle groups during Carrier Group One's Comptuex '96 and completed trials where a submerged submarine both controlled Predator and received real-time video.
Both Predator and GNAT are controlled by a common solid-state digital ground control station (GCS) through a C band of sight data link. The aircraft are capable of direct control and passing real-time surveillance data to the GCS at ranges up to 150NM or operating autonomously to the range limits of the vehicle. Predator also incorporates satellite data links for near-real-time, over-the-horizon surveillance operations.
| CCD technology allows video cameras weighing only a few pounds to provide high resolution video of the battlefield |
The ability of GA-ASI endurance UAVs to characterise the battlefield in real time, 24 hours a day, will eliminate the fog of war and allow precision-guided munitions to fulfil their promise and enable forces to dominate the battlefield as never before.
