Updated: 20 Janauary 2008
Posted: 22 August 2003
UAV NEWS
One of the plans that the DARO recommends is that the Pentagon relay on high altitiude UAVs, this option would call for replacement of the U-2 with UAVs, and cutting Rivet Joints from 16 to 12. Global Hawk would start augmenting U-2s in 2003, and a more capabile varient would replace all U-2 s by 2010. However, the Air Force doesn't think that this is accomplishable, they feel that it will take 15-20 years to get any UAV to the point that it can start replace the U-2. The DarkStar will take over the vacant role of the "newly" retired SR-71. Both Global Hawk and DarkStar will be larger and more expnsive then the varients being flown now.
One of the new plans calls for a new varient of the C-130J, the C-130J(R), to replace the p-3 based "Reef Point", and the C-130 based "Pacer Coin", and "Senior Scout". The C-130J(R) would be introduced around 2007.
Also the DARO reccomends that the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force find commonality between recon pods, the Air Force uses "Theater Airborne Reconnaissance Sytem" on the F-16, while the USMC uses "Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System" on it's F-18Ds, and the Navy wants to develop the "Super Hornet Advanced Reconnnaissance Pod" for the F-18Fs.
The DARO has identified several new emerging technologies: improved digital processors, and storage devices; flexible software, better sensors and sensor techniques, enhanced human-machine interfaces, better date visualization, and 3-D displays, and the use of wide band satelite networks and land lines- Aviaiton Week & Space Technology (18 May 1998)
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