Air Force print news (March 24, 2006): Air Force releases UAV strategic vision.WASHINGTON -- The Air Force recently completed a vision document to provide high-level guidance to Service development and integration of unmanned aircraft for the next 25 years. While the Air Force has been experimenting with unmanned aerial vehicles
said Brig. Gen. Stanley Clarke, deputy director of the Air Force Strategic Planning Directorate. "Sensors and payloads are now smaller, lighter, and more capable," Clarke said. "And the required command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance An activity that synchronizes and integrates the planning and operation of sensors, assets, and processing, exploitation, and dissemination systems in direct support of current and future operations. This is an integrated intelligence and operations function. Also called ISR. technologies have only recently come online." Air Force UAVs bring persistence to the fight and also have the ability to work in hazardous environments, said Col. Gail Wojtowicz, chief of the Air Force's Future Concepts and Transformation Division. "Unmanned aircraft are a critical piece of ongoing Air Force transformation," Wojtowicz said. "Their persistence couples an unblinking eye with the ability to rapidly strike targets of opportunity, such as fleeing terrorists or insurgents Insurgents, in U.S. history, the Republican Senators and Representatives who in 1909–10 rose against the Republican standpatters controlling Congress, to oppose the Payne-Aldrich tariff and the dictatorial power of House speaker Joseph G. Cannon. . They also operate in dangerous chemical or biological environments, require a much smaller forward logistical footprint, and are as effective in conducting mundane tasks in the 30th hour as they are in the first." The Air Force produced the UAV UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV Unmanned Air Vehicle UAV Unmanned Aerospace Vehicle UAV Unmanned Airborne Vehicle UAV Uninhabited Air Vehicle UAV Urban Assault Vehicle UAV Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle (less common) strategic vision document, entitled "The U.S. Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle A powered, aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and can carry a lethal or nonlethal payload. Strategic Vision," primarily in response to recommendations by the 2004 Air Force Futures Game, which was a guided strategic discussion about the Air Force's future capabilities. While not directive in nature, the document lays out a broad vision and provides recommendations. These include developing common terminology, adequately funding relevant science and technology, coordinating efforts with other Services, managing cost and performance expectations, reviewing and updating laws and policies, and integrating unmanned aircraft with manned and space platforms. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new strategic vision document also addresses the historical context of UAVs, the unique attributes of the aircraft, and the various challenges in fielding them, Clarke said. "While unmanned aircraft have incredible potential, they still have formidable obstacles to overcome," he said. "They must be integrated into national and international airspace, their costs must be kept in check, and the C4ISR C4ISR Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance C4ISR Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance C4ISR Command Control Communications Computers Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems they depend on are vulnerable to attack and use an incredible amount of bandwidth." The general also said there are policy and legal issues to address in regards to UAVs, as well as unique organizational, manning, and training issues. The new Air Force strategic vision is consistent with the Office of the Secretary of Defense The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is part of the United States Department of Defense and includes the entire staff of the Secretary of Defense. It is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource Unmanned Aircraft System Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is the term introduced by The United States Department of Defense (DoD) and adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to replace the term Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Roadmap released in October, as well as the recently completed Quadrennial Defense Review
The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is a report by the United States Department of Defense that analyzes strategic objectives and potential military , Clarke said. The U.S. Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Strategic Vision is available on Air Force Link at <http://www.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-060322-009.pdf>. |
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