RQ-7 Shadow UAV
Abstract
The RQ-7Bv2 Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (TUAS) provides the Army Brigade Commander with dedicated Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA), Intelligence, Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), and Force Protection. In line with the Army's Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI) three Shadow Platoons are being integrated into the 11 Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) Apache Reconnaissance Battalions. This provides the CABs with Manned- Unmanned- Teaming (MUM-T) and enhanced Aerial Scout capabilities. The RQ-7B Shadow has logged approximately 1,265,000 flight hours, most of which were flown in support of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). The RQ-7Bv2 completed Log demo and Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation #2 (FOTE2) in October 2020 at Ft. Bliss, Texas. FOTE2 evaluated capability Block III from the 2017 update to the TUAS Objective Requirement Document. The RQ-7B v2 Block III System Modification includes Weatherization, Small Mission (SMC) Computer A-kit, Electro Optical / Infrared / Laser Designator (EO/IR/LD) Universal Interface Assembly, Block III Engine, Communications Relay Installation Kit, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Weatherization modifications allow the AV to fly in low visibility conditions and in up to two inches of rain per hour. The SMC is an onboard computer that provides airborne processing power. The SMC addresses obsolescence concerns, features a dual processor, and provides 50x more processing power than the current computer. The EO/ IR/LD Universal Interface Assembly eliminates reliance on a proprietary payload interface, introducing the capability to support payloads from multiple vendors. The Block III engine improves reliability over the current engine, increases thrust and reduces the noise signature of the Shadow system. The Communication Relay upgrade enables voice communications to additional users who utilize other waveforms in the VHF and UHF bands. The VoIP upgrade extends voice communications range from 85 km to 125 km, and provides a more reliable means of voice communications. The overall performance enhancements increase the Shadow's mission capability and survivability. The Improved EO/IR/LD payload features a modular design that includes enhanced high-resolution HD imagery, improved geo-location precision and an extended long-range target designation capability. FY2022 Funding for RQ-7B UAV is zero ($0).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- RQ7_0305233A_7_2040_PB_2022
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