Time for Centralized Control of Unmanned Aerial Systems
Abstract
The use of UAVs in peace and conflict is not new; however, when UAVs are used to perform tasks historically accomplished by manned aircraft, they make national headlines. The increased use of UAVs in military operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq since prior to the turn of the century has brought the advantages and disadvantages of these systems to the forefront for military users. With the help of a UAV overhead, troops on the ground can get instantaneous situational awareness of the threats behind nearby hills or buildings. Despite the significant successes of unmanned systems on the battlefield, several issues exist which must be addressed before UAVs can truly integrate into joint and combined operations. The major issues are airspace congestion, frequency/bandwidth saturation, and limited interoperability of UAV systems. This paper will briefly outline the history of UAVs and the anticipated future growth of these systems in militaries around the world, especially in the United States. The main focus will be on detailing the three identified issues with UAVs, and explain why continuing to address each issue with a disjointed, service-specific approach will limit UAV employment in current and future combat zones.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA469584
Entities
People
- Barry P. Leister
Organizations
- United States Army War College