Aviation Week & Space Technology
U.S. Navy May Adjust UAV Plans
By Robert Wall
01/18/2005 03:55:51 PM
UPDATED AGENDA
The U.S. Navy is trying to harmonize its unmanned aircraft plans and is preparing to tweak its intelligence system in the coming months in response to guidance issued by the service's top officer.
In a message to troops, Adm. Vernon Clark addresses a wide range of topics, from operational concerns to basing questions and personnel issues. Strengthening intelligence collection stands out as a recurring theme in the latest directive by Chief of Naval Operations Clark.
One of the thrusts among the objectives Clark spells out is a move to expand from a focus on reconnaissance to persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, suggesting the need for a more far-reaching data-collection mechanism. He is giving his organization until May to try to implement these changes.
Among the steps the service wants to take is the development of requirements to provide the future Navy destroyer, DD(X), with an independent targeting capability that would include use of a destroyer-based unmanned aircraft.
THE SERVICE HAS been working with Northrop Grumman on the Fire Scout unmanned aircraft to explore ship-based vertical takeoff and landing UAV operations, although at-sea trials using the Navy's experimental high-speed vessel have been delayed because the ship has been diverted to support relief operations in Southwest Asia. The Navy and, in particular, the Marine Corps, have signaled they want a VTOL UAV, but one more capable than Fire Scout.
Additionally, Clark wants the service and special operations forces to standardize their tactical UAV candidates, rather than pursue dissimilar systems. Another area of UAV collaboration between the two parties would occur in the Silent Hammer exercise series involving submarines aiding special forces ashore. The first Silent Hammer drill took place last year, with submarine control of a long-endurance UAV providing special forces on land with overhead imagery. Clark wants a repeat of that drill to refine operational concepts between the sub and elite troops.
The anticipated adjustments in UAV plans represent only one in the latest of a long-running series of Navy reviews of its unmanned aircraft activity, which has led to turmoil affecting tactical, endurance and unmanned combat aircraft programs. But Clark also says he wants the service to field new unmanned systems more rapidly; a directive that would cover unmanned systems beyond aircraft.
Another intelligence-collection initiative Clark is championing is space-related. Several years ago, the U.S. Air Force was put in charge of Pentagon space programs, but the Navy retained some responsibility in the field. Now, Clark is asking for a "Naval Space Strategy and Campaign Plan" to ensure the service has the personnel and other capabilities to support maritime operations.
Similarly, by June, the service wants to define what space-based systems are needed to track and identify ships globally. Military officials are increasingly concerned about maintaining awareness of sea traffic, but they also fear such awareness may be exploited by terrorists who plan to attack the U.S. In a related directive, Clark wants the Office of Naval Intelligence to establish a Global Maritime Intelligence Center by May that would draw on military, Homeland Security Dept. and allied intelligence resources.
The Navy also plans to examine whether it has the proper personnel for intelligence operations, with a particular focus on whether it has the right people in key specialized areas, such as unmanned vehicles; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and human intelligence.
- Also on the service agenda for 2005 are:
- A 26% reduction of Class A mishaps (to meet a Pentagon directive of halving accident numbers relative to the baseline year, 2002).
- The creation of a detailed fielding plan for Standard Missile SM-3 ballistic missile interceptors and a written concept of operations for their use.
- Establishment of an Office of Chemical and Biological Defense that would develop field requirements and assess intelligence.
- Development of a weapons-investment strategy, including forging a partnership with the Air Force for strike-weapons development (a plan should be in place by September, aimed at alleviating problems arising from the Navy and Air Force's withdrawal of support for joint weapons programs).
- Acceleration of the fielding of anti-submarine warfare technology.