Current Issue Articles
The Big Picture
By COL Thomas von Eschenbach One of the earliest examples of manned and unmanned teaming, now referred to as MUM-T, was during World War II when a B-17 Flying Fortress took off from RAF Fersfield in England headed to Germany closely followed by three chase aircraft. The B-17, designated a BQ-8 robot, was actually a flying bomb with 20,000 pounds of explosives on board designed with the intent of being remotely piloted into a submarine bunker in Germany. The BQ-8 concept was to launch like a normal aircraft with two pilots, reach a cruise altitude of 2,000 feet, arm the...
Learn MoreUnmanned Aircraft Systems – PM UAS Update
By COL Courtney P. Cote First let me start by saying how excited I am to be project manager of one of the more complex project management offices within the Army. The Project Management Office, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PM UAS) continues to field and sustain our current programs while improving functionality and technology along the way. I have been in position for nearly 90 days, and continue to evaluate and assess current operations and am fortunate to have an exceptional deputy as well as product managers to assist me with the myriad everyday responsibilities that come with my position. The...
Learn MoreUAS Airworthiness: The Importance of Understanding Standards
By Mr. Joshua Preusser Writing an article about unmanned aircraft system (UAS) airworthiness seemed a little odd at first. Like many first impressions, details were missed in that first appraisal. Such occurrences seem to be a recurring theme with UAS. Anyone with aviation experience will likely see them as an aircraft – and not all that different from a manned aircraft given they rely on the same underlying physics. However, airworthiness for unmanned aircraft isn’t as simple as taking manned aircraft airworthiness standards and applying them to unmanned aircraft (UA). Within the Army and industry, we’re still learning the differences...
Learn MoreEye Injury Protection
By Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar Proper wear of eye protection not only while flying, but also when working in the shop or at home is of the utmost importance in the prevention of eye injury. Most of us are not always wearing eye protection when we should be. According to a national survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 35 percent of respondents said they always wear protective eyewear when performing home repairs or maintenance, and even fewer do so while playing sports. Men are more likely to sustain an eye injury due to the types of activities they...
Learn MoreThe Apache’s Sidekick
By SSG Christopher D. Smith In an ever changing battlefield, the demand for the ability to transmit real-time battlefield metadata and video air-to-air/air-to-ground is becoming increasingly important. Some argue that unmanned aviation assets will one day replace our manned aircraft like the Apache; however, the relationship between manned and unmanned aviation systems is much more effective when the relationship is symbiotic. The AH-64E Apache Army helicopter can now deploy with a greatly enhanced tactical advantage on the battlefield. Apache pilots now have the ability to communicate with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to receive and transmit real-time imagery, metadata, and also...
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