Department of defense news release (July 8, 2005): joint unmanned aerial vehicle team, center of excellence announced.

The Department of Defense announces today the establishment of two organizations to coordinate the development and use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities.

The first organization is a Joint UAV Overarching Integrated Product Team (OIPT), which will provide a forum to identify and resolve materiel issues and seek solutions common to all the military Services. The OIPT will concentrate on improving UAV system interoperability and will promote standardization and commonality of UAV systems and components through shared research and development.

The Marine Corps will initially chair the OIPT, and the chairman position will rotate among the four military services. The OIPT will include representatives of all Services, the Joint Staff, Joint Forces Command, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and combatant commands as appropriate.

The JOIPT is a joint forum for making recommendations to the joint capabilities integration and development system (JCIDS) process to meet warfighter requirements. It will coordinate with the JUAV Center of Excellence when the lines between material and non-material solutions blur.

The second organization announced today is the Joint UAV Center of Excellence (COE). The COE is designed to improve interoperability and use, and will examine the use of sensors and intelligence collection assets to meet joint operational requirements of U.S. forces in any combat environment. This will be an operationally focused organization concentrating on UAV systems technology, joint concepts, training, tactics, and procedural solutions to the warfighters' needs. The Joint COE will stand up at Creech Air Force Base (Indian Springs Airfield), Nev., later this year.

Initial operational capability for the center is scheduled for fall of this year. A Joint UAV COE working group, including a Joint Site Activation Task Force, will be stood up this summer to support the initial operating capability.

The Army will initially lead the Joint UAV COE with the Air Force as deputy. These positions will rotate among the four military services. Once established, the center will have representatives from all four military services and other DoD and non-DoD agencies.