By Bettina H. Chavanne
FORT WORTH — U.S. Army Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff, unveiled the armed service’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap for 2010-2035 here April 15, stressing the importance of manned-unmanned teaming and common control across systems.
“The evolution of UAS isn’t done,” Chiarelli said, addressing an audience at the Army Aviation Association of America show, known as Quad-A. “Our UAS must provide not only the ability to see the battlefield, but to shape the battlefield.”
The UAS strategy will be divided into three time periods: near-term (2010-2015), midterm (2016-2025) and far-term (2026-2035). On a chart that plots out the three phases, the biggest shift in concepts of operation arrives between 2016 and 2025, when the AH-64D Apache and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior seem to evolve into optionally piloted vehicles (OPV), as do the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook. Sikorsky Aircraft is already developing an OPV Black Hawk demonstrator, with plans to fly the aircraft later this year.
Overall, the near-term focus of the roadmap is to continue rapid integration of existing technologies. Midterm, the priority shifts to full integration of UAS into all aspects of Army operations. Far-term, the Army hopes to determine how to increase the endurance and carrying capacity of its UAS while decreasing size, weight and power requirements (Aerospace DAILY, Feb. 25).
“This is not a budgetary or acquisition policy document,” Chiarelli stressed. “It’s a long-range, strategic vision.” The document will be reviewed and updated every two years to reflect current operational requirements, changing technology and policy, he added.
Under the roadmap, by 2026 the Army will have achieved a list of highly advanced capabilities including swarming, cognitive aiding software and fully compliant sense and avoid.
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