A Day in the Life of A Reaper Pilot

Transcription

1 A Day in the Life of A Reaper Pilot Overall: On another note...had a pretty good day today. Flew three Reaper sorties. Flew for 3 hours where I had PID [positive identification] on several insurgents with weapons setting up a defensive fighting position within 150 m of FF [friendly forces] during a TIC [troops in contact]. The JTAC's [Joint Tactical Air Controler] radios went out so via secure phone and mirc chat I controlled the air stack on his behalf for 45 mins until he got his radios fixed. Had eyes off for 1 hr and 12 mins from RTB [return to base] to eyes back on. Then flew another 7.1 [hrs] shot three AGM-114's Hellfire missiles and 2 x GBU-12's 500lb bombs Total time 10.4, 1300 lbs of weapons down range, 8 TB [Taliban] KIA, 5 supporting weapons destroyed, freedom of movement for Task Force Kandahar insured. 1

2 Disclaimer: This brief was created by the AF w/ inputs from the Army. It has not been approved or staffed by the Army. Headquarters U.S. Air Force UAS OPPERATIONS AND COMPARISONS Lt Col Bruce Shadow Black USAF UAS Task Force As Of: 17 Mar 10 (ver 13)

3 How I Will Thrill and Inspire You Not Bad Just Different Where We Want To Go What We Do and Why We Do It

4 Introduction AF and Army are different... It is by design DoD Directive Functions of the Department of Defense and Its Major Components defines the functions of the Services according to Title 10, US Code. The Services utilize different methodologies to accomplish their core functions... each have strengths and weaknesses which work best when utilized interdependently. This briefing highlights the differences in AF and Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Air Force UAS Support the Joint Force Commander (JFC) according to his priorities at all levels of employment from tactical to strategic anywhere in theater Army UAS Support the individual ground commander via organic support at the Corps, Division and below level

5 AF & Army UAS Systems Air Force UAS Family Army UAS Family RQ-4 Global Hawk Global/Theater capable-, high altitude, persistent, multi-int, Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR): can support any level from tactical to theater Brigade-level UAS support, based on Corps or Division commander priorities Sky Warrior I-Gnat ER Hunter MQ-9 Reaper MQ-1 Predator Theater capable ISR w/ immediate strike capability: can support any level from tactical to theater Brigade/tactical level Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition Fire Scout (future) Shadow Wasp III / BATMAV MQ-1 Predator MQ-9 Reaper Real time direct situational awareness RQ-4A Global Hawk Small unit situational awareness Hunter I-Gnat ER / Warrior A Sky Warrior Raven MAV MQ-1 Predator RQ-4A Global Hawk Hunter I-Gnat ER / Warrior A MQ-9 Reaper Sky Warrior As of 24 Jun 09

6 AF & Army UAS Growth 250 Flight Hours (Thousands) AIR FORCE MQ-1 Predator MQ-9 Reaper RQ-4 Global Hawk ARMY RQ-7 Shadow MQ-5 Hunter I-Gnat ER Warrior A MQ-1C Sky Warrior 50 0 Man-portable UAS hours not included, such as WASP (AF) RAVEN (AF & Army) As of 2 Nov 2009 (source: OSD AT&L)

7 Service Distinctions Air Force: blue/left Army: green/right C2 / Employment Weapons Used in Combat to Date *30 Hellfire shot in test Joint Organic 906 Hellfire, 201 GBU-12 (105 lb) (500 lb) 4 Viper Strike, 13 Hellfire (55 lb) (105 lb) * UAS strike capable not primary msn Small UAS: 217 Med/Large UAS: 211 Med/Large UAS 49% Predator: 147 Reaper: 41 Global Hawk: 23 Small UAS 51% Composition of Inventory Medium UAS 1% Hunter: 22 I-Gnat ER: 3 Warrior A: 14 Sky Warrior Blk 0: 4 Blk1 QRC: 4 Wasp/BATMAV: 217 AF Med/Lg UAS: 211 Army Med/Lg UAS: 47 AF 82% Army 18% As of 16 Mar 10 Small UAS: 3924 Medium UAS: 47 Small UAS 99% Raven: 3636 Shadow: 288

8 AF-DCGS / DCGS-A Comparison AF DCGS DCGS-A RVR DCGS-A GF DCGS-A DCGS CAOC AF DCGS DCGS-A Support the Joint Force Commander (JFC) Support the individual ground commander via the Joint Force Air Component via organic support at the Corps, Division Commander (JFACC) from an enterprise and below level approach

9 CAP is No Longer a Sufficient MQ-9 REAPER EO/IR/LLTV/FUSED FMV + LASER SIGINT 4x AGM-114 HELLFIRE GMTI/SAR 2x GBU-12 WAAS RQ-4 GLOBAL HAWK EO/IR GMTI/SAR SIGINT Descriptor RQ-7 SHADOW EO/IR FMV LASER MQ-1B PREDATOR EO/IR/LLTV/FUSED FMV 2x AGM-114 HELLFIRE LASER SIGINT Among unmanned ISR I systems n t e g r i there t y -are S e significant r v i c e -differences E x c e l l e in n capabilities c e and effects

10 RQ-11B Raven (3639 Aircraft 843 in Theater) Take-Off and Landing Enlisted Weapons Employment Training N/A 10 day add duty Operating Altitude 500 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 4.2 lbs Endurance 90 min Payload N/A Specifications Missions Small Unit Situational Awareness Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Force Protection FOB/Patrol Security Unique Features Autonomous and manual flight Hand-launched Any MOS can be qualified to fly Backpack-portable system (16 lbs) Treated like equip/not aircraft (flight hours not tracked) As of 30 Sep 2009

11 RQ-7 Shadow (284 Aircraft 80 in Theater) Take-Off and Landing TALS & Enlisted Weapons Employment N/A Training 8 months Operating Altitude 15,000 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 375 lbs Endurance 6 hrs Payload Specifications Laser designator, marker/illuminator, SINCGARS (Single Channel Grd & Airborne Radio System) for BLOS relay comm Missions Brigade-Level Reconnaissance Surveillance Target Acquisition FOB Security (Early detection) Communications Relay Unique Features Automatic Take-Off and Landing Capable Rail-launched Arresting gear Capable of launch in < 1hr Remote split operations (RSO) demo with USAF demonstrated potential for use of larger numbers forward *TALS = Tactical Automatic Landing System As of 30 Sep 2009

12 MQ-1C Sky Warrior (Blk 1 QRC) (Operational FY09 Planned 8 Aircraft 4 deploying May/Jun 09, rest deploy May 10) Take-Off and Landing ATLS & Contractors Weapons Employment Enlisted/WO Training Contractor Provided 9 Months Operating Altitude 29,000 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 3,200 lbs Endurance TBD Payload Specifications EO/IR, 4x Hellfire, Laser desig, Comm relay Missions Reconnaissance Surveillance Target Acquisition Communications Relay Battlefield Observation Real-Time Imagery Intel Strike Unique Features Heavy Fuel Engine 4x AGM 114 Hellfire Dual Capable: Auto Take-Off & Land/Contractor Army One Sys GCS & AF GCS AF Datalink & Army TCDL *As of 17 Jun 2009

13 Wasp III (BATMAV) (216 Aircraft 18 in Theater 226 yet to deliver) Take-Off and Landing Enlisted Weapons Employment Training N/A 10 days Operating Altitude 500 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 1 lb Endurance min Payload Specifications 3 Interchangeable payloads (EO, IR, Longendurance battery) Missions Individual and small unit situational awareness Base security ISR and Targeting Force Protection Unique Features Clip-on interchangeable payloads EO EO/IR EO/Long-endurance (100+ min) Hand-launched System weighs 14 lbs and fits in backpack As of 2 Feb 2009

14 MQ-1B Predator (147 Aircraft 80+ in Theater 700+ Hellfires launched) Take-Off and Landing Officer Weapons Employment Officer Training 12 Month Pilot Trg 3 Month Initial Qual Trg Operating Altitude 25,000 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 2,550 lbs Endurance 22 hrs (armed) Payload Specifications EO/IR, Hellfire, Laser designator, SIGINT Missions Global Integrated ISR Force Protection Close Air Support Battlefield Air Operations Information Integration Cmbt Search and Rescue Disaster Response Unique Features Medium-Altitude, Long- Endurance (MALE) Remote-Split Ops (RSO) from CONUS Full Motion Video ISR, w/ Strike Capability 2x AGM-114 Hellfire As of 01 Oct 2009

15 MQ-9 Reaper (41 Aircraft 20+ in Theater 160 GBU-12s dropped) 10x the external payload, 2x the speed, and 2x the altitude of the MQ-1 Predator Take-Off and Landing Weapons Employment Training Officer Officer 12 Month Pilot Trg 3 Month Initial Qual Trg Operating Altitude 50,000 ft Gross Takeoff Weight 10,500 lbs (3,000 lb external payload) Endurance 14 hrs (standard combat load) Payload Specifications EO/IR, Laser designator, Diverse weapon payload (Hellfire, GBU-12/38/39), SAR, SIGINT Missions Strategic Attack Air Interdiction Global Integrated ISR Close Air Support Battlefield Air Ops/FAC(A) Cmbt Search and Rescue Force Protection Unique Features Full Motion Video/SAR RSO from CONUS Strike w/isr capability 4x AGM-114 Hellfire 2x GBU-12 Future Capabilities Wide Area Surv (Gorgon Stare) Small Diameter Bomb As of 01 Oct 2009

16 RQ-4 Global Hawk (17 Aircraft 3 supporting CENTCOM, 4 NORTHCOM/SOUTHCOM) Take-Off and Landing Auto Takeoff & Land system Weapons Employment N/A Training 12 Month Pilot Trg 5 Month Initial Qual Trg Operating Altitude 65,000 ft Blk 10 (60,000 ft Blks 20-40) Gross Takeoff Weight 26,750 lbs Blk 10 (32,500 lbs Blks 20-40) Endurance 28 hrs Payload Specifications EO/IR, SAR, SIGINT (Blk 30), GMTI /SAR (Blk 40) Missions Global Integrated ISR Information Integration Cmbt Search and Rescue Disaster Response Future Comm Relay Battle Mgmt C2 Unique Features Hi-Res Wide-Area Still Imagery Blk 10 EO/IR, SAR Blk 20 Enhanced EO/IR, Enhanced SAR, Comm Relay (FY11) Blk 30 Enhanced EO/IR, Enhanced SAR, SIGINT Blk 40 Ground Moving Target Indicator, Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program As of 1 Oct 2009

17 Family of UAS Comparison MQ-1 Predator Medium altitude ISR/strike Performs Strike Coordination and Reconnaissance (SCAR) and Time Sensitive Targeting (TST) while providing ISR information MQ-9 Reaper Medium-to-High altitude ISR/strike Executes survivable hunter-killer missions against TSTs while providing ISR information RQ-4 Global Hawk High-altitude multi-int capability Long-endurance platform providing ISR information Radar enables all weather capability Force Objective 147 Current Inventory Force Objective 41 Current Inventory 77 - Force Objective 17 Current Inventory

18 Where We Want to Go

19 Gap: Growth in RPA Growth in RPA Combat Air Patrols 2004 = = = = = = = = RMD 700: procure a total of 228 MQ-9 Reapers. Adjust manpower from within existing resources as specified Add other necessary manpower, MILCON, and SATCOM in POM Additional 2718 personnel and $4.125b Insatiable demand with no defined end state 27

20 Gap: The manned Cost of Current UAS PED PED PED Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance ~168 Personnel / CAP We can t afford to operate this way! Integrity - Service - Excellence

21 Overview of AF 50/65 CAP Plan Total Personnel Today 38 Surge CAPs 50 CAPs Surge 50 CAPs Steady State 65 CAPs Surge 65 CAPs Steady State 5,300 7,200 8,500 10,800 12,000 - Pilots (Line, OH) 535 (304, 231) 873 (425, 448) 1096 (500, 596) 1148 (552, 596) 1307 (650, 657) - SO OH OH OH OH - MC OH OH 325+ OH OH - MX OH OH OH OH - PED Aircraft GCSs(MCE,LRE) 84 (52,32) 136 (78,58) 168 (98,70) 168 (98,70) 188 (113,75) MQ-1/9 UAS = 3.6% of total AF manning and 9.1% of pilot inventory! 29

22 Evolution of Capabilities WWII Vietnam Gulf War OIF/OEF Near Future Distant Future Planes 1,000 planes (B-17) 30 planes (F-4) 1 plane (F-117) 1 plane (F-16) 4 planes (MQ-X) Swarm (Autonomous UAS) People 10,000 crew 60 crew 1 crew 1 crew 1 crew Mission Commander Targets 1 Target 1 Target 2 Targets 6 Targets 32 Targets??? Targets Tech Mass Aircraft Tactical Strike Laser Munitions GPS Munitions MAC Collaboration C2 In-the-Loop In-the-Loop In-the-Loop In-the-Loop On-the-Loop Out-of-the-Loop Mgmt Active Active Active Active Responsive Passive 30

23 Global Manpower Efficiencies Travel = 6hrs Crew Rest = 15hrs Travel = 8hrs Crew Rest = 15hrs Prestwick 300! Travel = 10hrs Crew Rest = 15hrs St. John s Scott AFB Incirlik Travel = 6hrs 75 Al Udeid C-130J (crew of 4) MQ-X (One pilot at a time) Flight Time Total Mission Time Man Hours *Take off to land time only Assuming high levels of automation With MAC, 4+ aircraft, add one hour for each additional airc 31

24 A Revolution In Aircraft Acquisition Thinking Modularity we are use to: Modularity we are ready for: IMINT Packages Variable Autonomy Wide Area Airborne Surveillance (WAAS) SIGINT Packages GMTI Airborne Sense and Avoid (ASA) Electronic Attack (EA)? Secure, Redundant Net Centric Communications Counter Measures (CM) Tactical Air Refueling Airlift Strike Capability

25 Payload Flexibility and Modularity Day 1 Phase - 0 MQ-X arrives in theater with palletized cargo and ASA after a 12hr unrefueled mission or from anywhere with air refueling Rapidly reconfigured with standard SIGINT/IMINT package and sent up country for 12hr / 600mi radius mission Day 5 Phase - II 2 x MQ-X equipped with EA capability and countermeasures are rotated for 24/7 jamming Day 7 Phase - III 5 x MQ-X equipped with Air Refueling and EA dispatched with Manned Strike package Day 12 Phase - IV 3 x MQ-X on constant 24/7 orbit establish theater wide comms relay with strike capability Day 30 Phase - V Fleet is equipped to work in conjunction with civil authorities with Hyper Spectral IMINT, WAAS, ASA, GMTI and SIGINT to counter IW 4 x MQ-X equipped with SEAD, CM and IMINT dispatched 4 x F-35s with 2 MQ-X loyal wingman mules each, loaded* for max strike sent up country 3 x MQ-X continually and rapidly ferry 3000# palletized cargo to stranded unit at an austere location *32 weapons F-35 alone vs. 96 with loyal wingman mules

26 Open Architecture 134,000 applications have been developed for the iphone due to open architecture New areas of functionality not thought possible have opened up It will allow functionality between units previously prohibited It will encourage innovation and competition It delays obsolescence / increases adaptability Allows the developer of the MQ-X aircraft to focus on the truck aspect alone if they desire Open Architecture welcomes unknown and evolving missions and capabilities

27 Humanitarian Ops 477 Hours of FMV 1 st Sortie flown within one day of arrival 50 Personnel and 56 tons of equipment deployed Airborne Sense and Avoid Needed

28 Saving Lives

29 QUESTIONS? 37