Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Advanced Coordination and Increased Visibility Needed to Optimize Capabilities

Abstract

DOD components have developed guidance to facilitate the integration of UAS into combat operations; however, further steps are needed to fully coordinate the deployment of these assets. For example, DOD developed a Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for the Tactical Employment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and a Joint Concept of Operations for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.5 This guidance represents an important first step for the use of UAS in combat operations and DOD officials acknowledge these documents will continue to evolve as DOD learns more about the capabilities of UAS and other ISR assets and their application in combat operations. However, the guidance does not address, on a DOD-wide basis, the issue of advance coordination, which CENTCOM has recognized is a critical factor in integrating UAS into combat operations by enabling efficient deployment and utilization of assets and by allowing the combatant commander time to plan to support incoming assets. In the absence of such guidance, CENTCOM has established procedures for the services to coordinate system requirements prior to ISR assets arriving into CENTCOM s theater of operations. These procedures apply only to CENTCOM s theater of operations. However, we found that CENTCOM s procedures for advance coordination were not always followed because the services indicated that they were not aware of the requirement. According to CENTCOM officials, they distributed these procedures to each of CENTCOM s service components, such as Central Command Air Forces and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, but were not aware if they were distributed further, and the service officials we interviewed were not aware of the requirement.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2007
Accession Number
ADA469871

Entities

People

  • Elisha Matvay
  • Jamie Khanna
  • Kate Lenane
  • Lashawnda Lindsey
  • Patty Lentini
  • Renee Brown
  • Sharon L. Pickup
  • Susan Tindall

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • C4I

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Combat Operations
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Ground Control Stations
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Operations
  • National Security
  • Reconnaissance
  • Surveillance
  • United States Central Command
  • United States Government
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs