Special Operations Forces and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Sooner or Later?

Abstract

This study analyzes whether special operations forces (SOF) should use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to support intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, and resupply capability deficiencies. The author's objective is to review the missions and requirements of the United States Special Operations Command, examine current and future unmanned aerial vehicle technologies, and analyze whether unmanned aircraft technologies are mature enough to meet the demanding special operations mission. The result of the analysis is that unmanned aerial vehicles have tremendous potential. But, due to the technological limitations and a lack of systems maturity, unmanned aerial vehicles lack the range, reliability, datalink capability, and size to meet SOF needs at this time. However, in the future, UAVs should be able to fulfill several SOF capability deficiencies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA305682

Entities

People

  • Stephen P. Howard

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Deficiencies
  • Reconnaissance
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Surveillance
  • United States
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • Unmanned
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Vehicles

Readers

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  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs