UAVs Step Up to Paris Plate

The Paris Air Show has always been the home of spectacular flying demonstrations of manned machines. Increasingly, though, Le Bourget is a showcase for new-generation unmanned flying machines designed for surveillance and other tactical operations.

The recent conflict in Kosovo pointed up the need for extended surveillance capability. European nations experienced that need first hand, and France, Britain and Germany all operated unmanned aerial vehicles during the conflict. Their real-time surveillance capabilities were limited, however, prompting several recent UAV development programs.

The U.S. also operated UAVs during that conflict, as well as earlier ones in Bosnia and Iraq. It too is moving ahead with a variety of programs. In addition, long-term UAV operators such as Israel and South Africa continue to update their systems. The following examines the major UAV programs around the world.

UNITED STATES

The U.S. Army's need is for a short-range system, and it last year selected the Shadow 200 for close-range (about 30 miles) reconnaissance and target acquisition. It is manufactured by AAI of Hunt Valley, Maryland.

However, in mid-May the U.S. army suspended operational testing of the Shadow 200 due to a number of crashes. Investigations now underway will determine whether the crashes were due to mechanical or operator causes. AAI expects those results shortly and plans to begin flying the UAV again in August and resume Army testing in November.

AAI still intends to bring Shadow 200 to the Paris Air Show.

The U.S. Navy, interested in a longer-endurance UAV with vertical takeoff capability, is procuring the Northrop Grumman (Ryan) Fire Scout vertical takeoff UAV (VT-UAV)-which is basically a modified Schweizer model 379 helicopter. It has an endurance of about six hours and range of 110 nmi. Northrop Grumman says its VT-UAV is the first UAV with a dual redundant architecture so if one actuator fails, for example, another takes over. It should be noted, though, that the first unmanned demonstrator crashed.

The program moved into low-rate initial production in May when the Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $14.2 million contract for the first of three planned LRIP options for the VT-UAV. The U.S. Marines will get the first batch, which will include three air vehicles, two ground control stations, datalink suite, remote data terminals and modular mission payloads.

Waiting in the background is the possibility of an unmanned tiltrotor UAV for the same Navy role. Bell Helicopter is said to be willing to build a UAV with the right prompting. And the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and prime contractor Frontier Systems are scheduled to test a full-scale prototype of the A160 Hummingbird VT-UAV, which would be able to stay aloft for two days and cover a range of 2,500 nmi.

The USAF, with long-endurance needs, currently operates General Atomics' RQ-1 Predator. Last year saw the Predator's first export sale-to Italy, which decided it needed a UAV after turmoil in its close neighbor Kosovo. Predator manufacturer General Atomics, of San Diego, California, will bring a full-scale mock-up of the UAV to Le Bourget.

General Atomics is upgrading the craft under a NASA contract. Predator-B is a larger, gas turbine-powered version that NASA wants to use for environmental research. Predator-B flew for the first time last year.

The USAF's main UAV effort is focused on the Northrop Grumman (Ryan) RQ-4 Global Hawk, which has racked up several high-profile successes in the last year. Besides winning the Collier Trophy as the most important aeronautical achievement of 2000, Global Hawk recently flew non-stop across the Pacific Ocean to participate in joint military exercises between U.S. and Australia. On May 22, Global Hawk passed the 1,000 cumulative flight hour mark over the coastal waters of eastern Australia during its 81st flight.

Production funding for Global Hawk is expected in 2002. Even before the UAV enters production, the USAF has initiated design studies for a Block 20 Global Hawk. It would have larger wings and a more powerful engine and carry more payload/sensors than the two Block 10 test vehicles now being flown.

EUROPE

France presently has two research/development UAV programs. The French army's program is called SDTI (system de drone tactique intermediare), and is for a medium-endurance UAV. The French air force program-MALE (moyen altitude longue endurance)-is for a longer-endurance vehicle. France opted against buying the Brevel tactical UAV last year, even though it jointly developed the vehicle with Germany, and last month selected the EADS/Israel Aircraft Industries Eagle 1 to meet the MALE requirement. That bid was selected over a rival offer from France's Sagem and General Atomics of the U.S. with the latter's Predator UAV. A contract for an initial demonstration phase is expected to be signed here.

France now operates the Crecerelle UAV manufactured by Sagem. Crecerelle is deployed with the French army, and offers real-time video downlink and an electronic warfare version for communications jamming.

Sagem also produces the Sperwer UAV, which is being manufactured for the Swedish (UGGLAN) and Danish armies. Most recently, Sperwer was awarded its airworthiness certificate by the Dutch Ministry of Defense. The certification was based on a civil aviation technical code, the JAR-VLA (Joint Aviation Requirements-Very Light Aircraft), which is the same code that sets standards of design, manufacturing and security to manned, light aircraft.

Unlike France, Germany is acquiring the Brevel, and is studying a tactical UAV for sea-based operations under the SEAMOS program. It has also deployed the STN Atlas Electronik-manufactured KZO unmanned aerial vehicle with the German army. An EW version of the KZO, named Mucke, is under development.

German military forces recently completed the 1,000th launch of the CL-289 reconnaissance UAV. The Franco-German CL-289 has operated for three years in Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia. NATO has awarded EADS Dornier unit a contract to equip 140 of the UAVs with ADA operational software as part of a plan to develop a crisis management and conflict prevention capability.

EADS is also working with Northrop Grumman on Eurohawk, a Global Hawk platform with a European-built sensor. A joint EADS/Northrop Grumman press conference to discuss the technologies is planned for Paris.

And in a separate project for EADS, the company is investigating a fast, low-observable UAV for precise reconnaissance missions for special targets. EADS is referring to the aircraft as a penetrating unmanned reconnaissance air vehicle, which has also been described as a recoverable cruise missile.

The UK has two primary programs: the Sender tactical UAV and the Spectator long-endurance UAV. It is expected that both programs will be consolidated under the Watchkeeper program.

Besides its SkyEye R4E UAV deployed with the U.S. Army-produced in Santa Monica, California-BAE Systems is developing an interesting little UAV. Designed to be hand-tossed like a paper airplane, the Microstar micro-UAV was originally developed under a DARPA contract awarded to Lockheed Martin's Sanders in 1998. Now a BAE project since its acquisition of Sanders, Microstar focuses on "over-the-hill" surveillance. The air vehicle features a tightly integrated micro engine, power system, automated flight controls, two-way digital datalink, and a digital imaging sensor into an airframe with a wingspan of only six inches and a take-off weight of only three ounces.

BAE will bring a Microstar UAV to Le Bourget.

In addition to acquiring the Predator, Italy is still considering purchases of the Mirach 26 tactical UAV and Mirach 150 medium-endurance UAV, both manufactured by Finmeccanica. Both have been under consideration since the mid-1990s, with the recent Kosovo conflict forcing Italy to re-examine the craft.

Around the World

Israel Aircraft Industries plans to bring several UAVs to Le Bourget. At the top of the Israeli list is the Harpy lethal anti-radar attack UAV, which will make its first appearance at Paris. IAI also plans to exhibit the Searcher II tactical UAV and a Hunter multi-payload UAV for short-range tactical assignments. The exhibited Hunter is from Belgium and will have an enhanced payload package, different from the Hunters operated by the U.S. Army and co-produced with TRW.

In mid-May, the Jerusalem Post reported that France selected IAI's Eagle-1 UAV, which is based on IAI's Heron long-endurance, medium- to high-altitude UAV. It beat out General Atomics' Predator for the $40 million to $50 million contract. Europe's EADS will assemble the electronics and payload for the Eagle-1. French officials have not confirmed the newspaper's report, but are expected to officially announce the contract at Le Bourget.

Israel's air force presently operates one squadron of UAVs, but there are plans to deploy a second squadron with the Silver Arrow Hermes 450 endurance UAV.

In recent weeks, Israeli officials approached the U.S. about possible joint development of a UAV designed to seek and destroy ballistic missile launchers. Designed to target launchers for Iraqi Scud-type missile, the system would complement the U.S./Israel-developed Arrow II theater missile defense system.

South Africa continues with its long-standing UAV programs through the manufacturer Denel. One of the country's main UAVs is Seeker II. Designed for surveillance, Seeker II features a 250-kilometer radius surveillance range, 10 hours' endurance, an 18,000-foot service ceiling; and 50-kg multi-mission payload.