Software packages controlled the flight of three ScanEagle unmanned, long-loiter reconnaissance aircraft during their search for and pursuit of a moving target. It’s a first, says Marshall Williams, program manager for mission management research at Boeing Advanced Systems. An AWACS operator aided in coordinate the targeting and subsequent F/A-18 strike.


Credit: Boeing

This advance has at least the promise of accelerating combat flight tempo and slashing the long-term cost of UAV operations and crew training. Or it could make the massive growth in UAV and unmanned combat aircraft systems more affordable, if the demonstration wins Pentagon favor and a place in the Defense budget.

“The tests were to show the [simultaneous] control of multiple vehicles by a single operator through the use of automation,” Williams says. “That had never been done before.” Instead spending time manipulating sensors and maneuvering the aircraft, the operators tells the automated system that “I need pictures taken in these spaces,” Williams says. “You figure out how to do it, and if you find something interesting cue me so I can look at it.”

Distributed Information-Centralized Decision autonomous mission control software managed flight of the three ScanEagles simultaneously. Stalker target-tracking software enabled the UAVs to follow the fleeing vehicle without aircrew oversight. The Stalker automated system also kept the aircraft out of hearing and visual range of the target. It process began with a text message sent via e-mail from a cell phone to the AWACS. Because the message was written in a standard nine-line format, it was processed through the AWACS battle-management software to create a time-critical target on the AWACS display. That display was then forwarded to the UAV operator. Moreover, it was all done for the operator automatically.

“The system did a re-plan in real-time without operator intervention,” Williams says. “It created new routes for the UAVs within a second that included the time critical target. Video of the new target was sent back to the AWACS and they opened it in a normal browser to confirm it was important. We vectored in simulated F/A-18s to destroy the target. That demonstrates that a mixed manned and unmanned battle environment, IP addressability and that the standard NATO message can be used to talk to the ScanEagle. Finally, that video was forwarded to the guy on the ground using a regular Cingular cell phone.”

The initial tests were conducted at Boeing’s Boardman, Oregon facility. Read more details in the August 6th issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.