Return-Path: <sentto-279987-5226-1029941797-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 [204.181.12.215] by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.7.4) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Wed, 21 Aug 2002 07:58:09 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 11377 invoked by uid 510); 21 Aug 2002 14:54:58 -0000 Received: from n25.grp.scd.yahoo.com (66.218.66.81) by all.net with SMTP; 21 Aug 2002 14:54:58 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-5226-1029941797-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com Received: from [66.218.67.199] by n25.grp.scd.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 21 Aug 2002 14:56:37 -0000 X-Sender: fc@red.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_1_0_1); 21 Aug 2002 14:56:37 -0000 Received: (qmail 62515 invoked from network); 21 Aug 2002 14:56:37 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.217) by m6.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 21 Aug 2002 14:56:37 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO red.all.net) (12.232.72.152) by mta2.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 21 Aug 2002 14:56:36 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by red.all.net (8.11.2/8.11.2) id g7LEucH27929 for iwar@onelist.com; Wed, 21 Aug 2002 07:56:38 -0700 Message-Id: <200208211456.g7LEucH27929@red.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL3] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> X-Yahoo-Profile: fcallnet Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 07:56:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [iwar] [fc:US.Mulls.Electronic.Attack.Potential.For.Strike.Drones] Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=DIFFERENT_REPLY_TO version=2.20 X-Spam-Level: Jane's Defence Weekly August 21, 2002 US Mulls Electronic Attack Potential For Strike Drones By Michael Sirak, JDW Staff Reporter, Washington DC US defence officials are studying the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of accelerating by several years the integration of an electronic attack capability to Boeing's nascent X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV). This integration would improve the aircraft's ability to penetrate heavily defended areas and destroy enemy anti-aircraft missile launchers and radar with precision-guided munitions during the initial phase of a conflict, officials say. The proposal is also consistent with the US Air Force's (USAF's) desire to carry out electronic attacks by combining next-generation manned and unmanned systems instead of relying on one platform. USAF planners originally envisaged a jamming capability as part of the X-45's second production configuration around 2010. This version will be optimised to accompany manned strike packages and protect them, with the ability to respond to battlefield dynamics, like the emergence of a mobile missile launcher. This mission is dubbed 'reactive' suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). USAF Col Michael Leahy, who until mid-August managed the UCAV programme for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and USAF, said programme engineers are now evaluating the merits of adding an initial jamming package to the first production-version aircraft, which is expected around 2008. This configuration is designed for 'pre-emptive' SEAD, the ability to attack fixed and relocatable air defences and command nodes during the first hours of a conflict, but without the inherent capacity to react dynamically and attack targets of opportunity. "We are trying to access the state of the art of the technology ... what its affordability is, and then determine, given our system, how to have a worthwhile effect on the battlefield," Col Leahy told Jane's Defence Weekly. "We are not going to change the air vehicle. If this is something that is going to require a large developmental activity, then that clearly would have to wait for the [later] spiral." Col Leahy, succeeded by USAF Col Earl Wyatt, said the initial electronic attack package, if pursued, would be housed in one of the UCAV's two payload bays. This would mean carrying fewer weapons. Without the package, the vehicle is designed to carry either two 1,000 lb (450kg) Joint Direct Attack Munitions or 12 Small Diameter Bombs. During the programme's next phase, UCAV officials will tackle questions like whether the UCAVs would perform persistent jamming over a battlefield for extended periods or merely 'stand-in' disruption during the ingress and egress of a strike team, Col Leahy said. Boeing received a $460 million contract on 7 August to continue the programme. It will use a portion of the funding to complete by the end of 2004 'spiral zero' development, which involves testing two X-45A prototypes and the associated ground-control station. To date there have been two successful flights of the first X-45A vehicle. The company will use most of the funds, about $400 million, to initiate 'Spiral 1' work - development of the larger, stealthier and more advanced X-45B air vehicle, which will serve as the precursor to the first operational UCAVs (JDW 6 March). The first X-45B is due for completion in 2004 and will begin flight-testing that year. The second unit will be delivered in 2005. 'Spiral 2' UCAVs will be the first production models and optimised for pre-emptive SEAD. 'Spiral 3' vehicles will perform reactive SEAD. 'Spiral 4' aircraft will incorporate a directed-energy laser or high-powered microwave payload. "We view the X-45B as the basic 'truck'," Col Leahy said. "It is being developed to host a variety of different payloads. 'Spiral 2' is about trying to figure out what is the best first set of missions for that truck." Although USAF officials say the UCAV programme is progressing well, many challenges remain. Electronic attack and SEAD is "a very stressing scenario", said Maj Gen Daniel Leaf, director of operational requirements on the USAF Air Staff. "We are asking it to do some of the most difficult things we do with manned platforms. We have to find out if we can in fact achieve that ... and make it affordable." ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> 4 DVDs Free +s&p Join Now http://us.click.yahoo.com/pt6YBB/NXiEAA/mG3HAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2002-10-01 06:44:32 PDT