Posted on 09/23/2010 9:58:26 AM PDT by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — The importance of unmanned aerial systems can be seen in the increase of requirements for Army systems over areas of conflict.
And Wednesday, a small group of soldiers from the Unmanned Aerial Systems Training Battalion left the post for a yearlong assignment in a conflict area, to keep eyes in the skies as part of protecting U.S. and other allied forces.
Talking to the nearly a dozen soldiers — five others left earlier as part of the advance party — who departed Libby Army Airfield in an Air Force C-17, was Col. Timothy Edens, the deputy commander of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala.
“Folks, thank you for what you do. You are going to set high standards in theater. UAS guys are setting new standards,” said Edens, whose name is on the list for promotion to brigadier general.
The 17 who deployed are part of the training battalion, which is subordinate to the 1st Aviation Brigade at the Alabama post, and are members of the Quick Reaction Capability 2 group.
Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Patrick Sullivan said the Quick Reaction Capability units are major assets in supporting counter insurgency operations.
The first of the QRCs from the battalion deployed and returned late last year, providing much needed operational support as well as obtaining important lessons to be used in the training environment, Sullivan said. The UAS Training Battalion teaches soldiers how to operate and maintain a number of Army unmanned aerial systems.
The unmanned aircraft the deployed soldiers will be using is one of the new airframes, the Gray Eagle, which incorporates the capability to fire missiles.
Edens said the importance of using unmanned systems is growing, and the ones who really like knowing they are overhead “are the ground combat soldiers.”
While there have been concerns expressed about mixing manned and unmanned aircraft over a battle zone because of potential dangers, the Army is creating a test air cavalry squadron which will include both types of airframes, according to a story which will appear in next week’s issue of The Army Times.
The manned and unmanned joint operations are exremely important and the Army is ensuring that they can be done safely, Edens said.
When it comes to unmanned aerial systems, the capabilities keep growing, he added.
“Now it’s 100 times bigger than what we (initially) perceived,” Edens said.
God bless Sgt. Ladner and keep him and his comrades safe until they return; and may victory, followed by freedom and stability come to that war zone.
Woot! “Black tower” Bump!
Our modern capabilities keep me in awe. And I really mean that.
These 17 men, along with their equipment and the support personnel along with them, will be a major influx of military power. It used to be a troop ship of 1,000 men and their equipment would add a good amount of power to the front lines. Now we add 30 to 25 guys and it is even more power than the 1,000 could have possible dreamed.
Sheer awe.
God’s speed troopers.
I was fortunate enough to have worked with the very earliest of the drones at the EPG (Electronic Proving Grounds) facilities just up the street from the airfield at Ft. Huachuca (1974-1975).
Do these guys get flight hour credits toward flying conventional aircraft?
Dont know.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.