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UAV future is closer
By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 12, July 12, 2007 |
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MOVING AHEAD: A virtual model of the Global Hawk aircraft (pictured above during its first visit to Australia in 2001) was used during the successful North-West Shelf Unmanned Aerial System Trial, held last year. The trial’s results will bring Air Force a step closer to a UAV capability.
Photo by SGT Mick Scraggs, RAF |
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Air Force is preparing to move into the planning stages for transition from the current AP-3C capability to the unmanned and manned maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and response capabilities planned to be delivered through Project AIR 7000.
An important milestone was achieved when Parliamentary Secretary Peter Lindsay confirmed the ability to employ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the maritime surveillance of Australia’s North-West Shelf role.
The announcement was a result of the recent report on the outcomes of the North-West Shelf Unmanned Aerial System Trial, conducted by Defence late last year.
“The trial demonstrated that it was possible to deploy an unmanned aircraft to work with patrol boats and other Defence and civilian assets in an effective way to carry out maritime surveillance in an Australian environment,” Mr Lindsay said.
The trial was conducted to investigate a joint surveillance capability, involving a Mariner demonstrator UAV, an Armidale-class patrol boat, a Border Protection Command aircraft and land forces of the Pilbara Regiment.
Trial director GPCAPT Bill Spears said the trial was an outstanding success, with all aims achieved.
“I was particularly impressed with how the whole team worked together to develop an excellent rapport and safety record based on sound aviation culture and professionalism,” he said.
“The experience gained will no doubt enhance both the acquisition and introduction into service processes.”
The report showed that the Mariner UAV had demonstrated its ability to execute all elements of the maritime surveillance operations, including monitoring suspicious vessels and activating the response elements to deal with the threat, Mr Lindsay said.
“Direct transmission of sensor imagery from the aircraft to the patrol boat and Army vehicle was also a significant benefit to the response operations,” he said.
The trial also involved a modelling and simulation exercise in which a virtual Global Hawk unmanned aircraft was used to assess maritime surveillance operations under various conditions and situations not encountered during the real-world trial.
“This virtual activity enabled new tactics and procedures to be explored in a wide range of scenarios and environmental conditions, providing valuable insights into how future systems may work in the Australian environment,” Mr Lindsay said.
“Results from the North-West Shelf trial will assist Defence in developing its requirements for Project Air 7000 phase one under which it is planned to acquire a long-endurance, multi-mission unmanned aerial system,” he said.
The trial was led by DSTO in collaboration with the ADF and the Border Protection Command.
US aerospace company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems participated in the trial with a Mariner Demonstrator UAV, which flew more than 75 hours during its deployment in Australia.
GPCAPT Spears said the report would provide the detailed knowledge and lessons learnt from the 2006 trial, especially for the Air Force participants and MISRR Transition Team (MTT) who will use the information for project planning and transition management.
The MTT is being formed with GPCAPT Spears as the initial director in Canberra and the remaining MTT staff in HQSRG and 92WG. |
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