Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030 - Federation of ...

UAS ROADMAP 2005
labs have been involved in exploring various UAS operational concepts. The Air Maneuver Battle Lab at
Ft. Rucker, AL, operates some 30 Exdrones for developing combined UA/helicopter tactics. The
Dismounted Battle Space Battle Lab at Ft. Benning, GA, working in concert with the Marine Corps
Warfighting Lab, has evaluated UA (Camcopter and Pointer) and MAV in urban warfare scenarios at the
military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) McKenna Facility. The Mounted Maneuver Battle Lab at Ft
Knox, KY, focuses on brigade-level-and-below and has an extensive resume of involvement with small
UA for the scouting role and with UA modeling. TRADOC’s Systems Manager (TSM) for UAS at Ft
Rucker, AL, is the Army’s central manager for all combat development activities involving UAS.
5.2.2
5.2.3
Navy and Marine Corps
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC, has a history of exploring new aerodynamic
and propulsion concepts for maritime UAS. Among its innovative UAS concepts have been in-flight
deployable wings, hovering tethered ship decoys, and advanced miniature electric motors. The NRL has
built and flown over a dozen different, original small and MAV designs in recent years.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC/AD) at NAS Patuxent River, MD, maintains a
small UAS test, development, and demonstration team at Webster Field, MD that operates a fleet of
various types of small UA for testing and to assist conops development. NAWC/AD’s maritime
unmanned development and operations (MUDO) team has a few Exdrones, 3 Aerolights, 2 Aeroskys, and
1 Aerostar. MUDO managed the evolution of the Exdrone into the Dragon Drone for use by the Marine
Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL). It has also supported the Maritime Battle Center during recent Fleet
Battle Experiments by providing small UAS and operations expertise.
The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory was created at Quantico, VA, in 1995. Responsible for
developing new operational concepts, tactics, techniques, procedures, and technologies to prepare
Marines for future combat. It has participated in UAS development for integration into battalion-leveland-below
forces. In addition to integrating Dragon Drone UA into its recent series of limited objective
experiments (LOEs) supporting capable Warrior, MCWL has funded development of Dragon Warrior and
Dragon Eye prototypes, each tailored to specific requirements supporting the Operational Maneuver From
The Sea (OMFTS) concept.
The Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at NAS Fallon, NV, began supporting concept of
operations development for integrating RQ-1 Predators into Fleet training exercises in 1998. To date,
these efforts have focused on the time critical targeting and battlespace dominance missions. NSAWC
participated in the naval utility evaluation of the RQ-4 Global Hawk during its ACTD by serving as a
node to receive imagery during Global Hawk’s flight to Alaska in 1999. In 2001, NSAWC completed a
naval tactics, techniques, and procedures document entitled “UAV Integration into Carrier Air Wing
Operations” (NTTP 3-01.1-02) which can be accessed at www.nsawc.smil.mil.
The Naval Warfare Development Command’s Maritime Battle Center (MBC), established at Newport, RI,
in 1996, conducts a fleet battle experiment (FBEs) each year to explore new technologies and operational
concepts in both live and virtual scenarios. UAS have participated in FBE-Echo (Predator in 1999), FBE-
Hotel (Aerolight, Pioneer, and Dakota II in 2000), FBE-India (Aerolight in 2001), and FBE-Juliet (Sentry
and Pioneer in 2002).
Air Force
AFRL is actively pursuing UAS-applicable technologies for both specific UAS programs and for
unmanned flight in general. Its Air Vehicles group is exploring autonomous see and avoid and flight
control systems. Its Sensors Directorate is developing a more capable, smaller radar and electro-optical
capabilities. AFRL has contracted a concept development study for the Sensorcraft concept, an UA
optimized for the sensor suite it would carry.
The Air Force relocated its UAV Battlelab to Indian Springs AFAF, NV, in 2004. Established in 1997 to
SECTION 5 - OPERATIONS
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