The future of air warfare is undergoing a fundamental transformation with the move toward the increased use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's). UAV's are capable of performing a number of missions in high-threat environments while minimizing the risk of human life. An example of an important mission particularly well suited for a UAV is the provision of information superiority for in-theater commanders. Information superiority is defined in Joint Vision 2010, the official vision statement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as 'the ability to collect, process, and disseminate an uninterrupted flow of information while denying the enemy's ability to do the same'. The USAF is currently operating the Predator, a medium-altitude, medium-range, high-endurance (20 hours) UAV that was used in Kosovo to provide near- real-time reconnaissance, target acquisition, and battle-damage assessment. The sensors allowed for effective operation during the day and night and in bad weather conditions. The USAF is currently developing the Global Hawk, a high-altitude, aerial reconnaissance UAV. The Global Hawk will have a maximum operating altitude of 65,000 feet and endurance of 24 hours. It will be able to provide imagery with one-meter resolution over an area of 40,000 square nautical miles, an area roughly the size of the state of Illinois, in one day.


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    Title :

    USAFA Discovery: Jul-Sep 2000. Research Activity in Support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) at the Aeronautics Research Center


    Publication date :

    2000


    Size :

    8 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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