any suggestions for UAV that best fits needs of the Phil Army?


fire away.... : :snipemo:

I think they tried that during ERAP's time, but there were several issues....

1. It is purely line of site, all of the UAV controls are done from a groundbased radio link, which can suffer severe fading in jungle strewn horizon

2. The camera's can only track targets if they are situated in 50m x 50m open areas, because of the (still) fast stall speed of the UAV, the camera can only see few frames per pass (counted by fingers in one hand) in jungle terrain, renedering it useless for tracking target heading.

3. The launch facility requires fair amount of clearing, not much for launching but for landing as it glides back to recovery (one rumor has it that the past trials failed miserably during recovery as it skidded on the jungle canopy, poor jews who tried to sell them, they incurred pre sales loss)

4. Its operating radius is just too damn small, unlike the 3rd generation UAV (which we can not afford anyways), it has low fuel capacity, u tend to loose integrated control once you lost radio contact, its sensor package is small (it can not even power up a thermal management system for an airborne visual thermal sensor).

5. Worst of all, in Afghanistan (they say) the UAV was a force multiplier (lalo na with the hellfire mounted UAV), I heard in the local UAV trials years ago, the on site support assets was humungous that you can relatively deploy a light brigade.
You may just have used the brigade size assets to just comb the jungle and may have possibly gotten better results.

When cost and technology catches up with local standards? maybe Just maybe! :armycheers:

Like many things in the Army, this run out of official interest and support. :crawling: :crawling: :crawling:

best applicable UAV for jungle operations is vtol UAV - no large clearing needed for launch and recovery :thumb:

cheapest Uav for phil army is buy off the shelf remote control helicopter and strap on a high resolution camera...presto ...uav! :drunk:

The Canadian DND are now looking into UAVs to patrol its vast borders,seas, coastlines... I would recommend UAVs for offshore patrol instead of jungle recon as LOS in the ocean are well suited to UAV purposes... that is until we get OPVs , corvettes, frigates and a couple of ASW and AAW destroyers... :armycheers:

pare, pang barangay reconnaisance lang yan eh :specool: ... baka yung kapitbahay mong GRO ma-recon mo.. take lots of pics plzzz... lolz :armycheers:

Seriously tho, the Israelis have developed very small UAVs... as they are one of the pioneers in this field..

UAV to consider:

Shadow Tactical UAV

U.S. Army RQ-7A Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) systems have achieved new, major milestones of flight, surpassing 10,000 flight hours and 2,500 sorties while performing surveillance and reconnaissance for coalition war fighters in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The record marks for cumulative flight hours and sorties were achieved in mid-August.

“The performance of Shadow systems in support of our soldiers has been outstanding,” said Steve Reid, Shadow TUAV program director for AAI Corporation, prime contractor for the Shadow TUAV program. “The air vehicles, ground control stations, and support systems have delivered when called on in the harsh combat environment of Iraq. We are very proud of the Shadow systems and the soldiers who operate them so well.”

AAI has delivered 19 Shadow TUAV systems: 15 to U.S. Army and National Guard operational units and four to the Army’s TUAV training center at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.

Fielding of Shadow TUAV systems was recently accomplished by Maryland and Pennsylvania National Guard units in training at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

Production and delivery of the 100th RQ-7A Shadow TUAV air vehicle was completed in July 2004. Soon thereafter AAI began delivering a new model Shadow TUAV, designated the RQ-7B, with slightly larger wings, a modified tail assembly, and an extended flight endurance capability.

AAI Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation, is a company focused on the design and production of defense and training systems. In addition to unmanned aerial vehicle systems, its products include training and simulation systems, automated aircraft test and maintenance equipment, and logistical/engineering services for government- owned equipment.


Shadow TUAV, D Troop, 1-14 CAV, Yakima Training Center Shadow TUAV launcher at Yakima Training Center. The vehicle is placed on the launcher, locked in place with aluminum shear pins, and then when sufficient pressure is generated, the aircraft is launched remotely.

that us made shadow is expensive for sure
better options are israeli uavs like the heron

That is not the expensive part of running a modern UAV outfit. The RQ-7's extended operational range is brought by its capability to use US DoD/NASA TDRSS sats for high res video. We do not have access to such sat facility, best we can get is an INTELSAT type transponders like what PALAPA Sat Flights and AGUILA has.

Leasing satellite transponder space so that the RQ-7 will be used optimally will cost 250K USD per month. If it does not use a sat transponder, its op range is not more than a heron as it is constrained by line of sight (LOS). Besides, 250K USD at 55Php to 1 USD is 13.75M Php per month, that can pay the monthly recurring expenditures (utilities, non mil transpo, perishables, non mil consumables) of an ARMY division for 1 1/2 years (maybe more).

The countries in Asia who can best implement a good UAV program are Japan, Taiwan, PRC, Thailand and Indonesia. Their military establishments set aside some funding (budget savings) and invested them for a satellite project. These countries have at least two transponders set aside for their military on each satellite. These countries had foresight to invest on technology in the late 80s and early 90s that they now reap its benefits with the advent of space integrated military systems (i.e. UAV)

very analytical post colddead, i wonder why you are knowledgeable in such matters, :bow: but its way beyond my league...

the thing is im saddened by our military's lack of foresight - i read an article in PDFF somewhere that thailand already has its own military satellite...

:armycry:

my uav suggestions for phils army :thumb:

AEROSTAR
Built by Aeronautics Defense Systems of Israel and developed in cooperation with the Israeli Intelligence Corps, Aerostar was first introduced in 2002 and has since broken several world records. Deployed on four continents Aerostar TUAV was chosen by the Israeli Defence Forces for routine security missions and within 18 months had logged 10,000 flight hours. Aerostar is a multi mission system capable of carrying various payloads.

EAGLE
Eagle was developed by Israel Aircraft Industries and EADS Matra in response to a French Air Force requirement for strategic intelligence missions at an altitude up to 25,000 feet, and flight duration of up to 24 hours. Eagle 1 is a straightforward derivative of the IAI Heron, but has a bulbous nose like that of the US Global Hawk, and will be fitted with French-Israeli avionics as required by the French Air Force. The Eagle 1's avionics suite will include an automatic takeoff and landing system, a TV IR imaging turret, a laser target designator, an Elbit-built SAR-MTI sensor, and a satellite communications link.

FIRE SCOUT
Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout VTUAV is able autonomously to takeoff and land on any aviation-capable warship, and at unprepared landing zones in proximity to the forward edge of the battle area. The Fire Scout System includes advanced ground control facilities. With vehicle endurance greater than six hours, Fire Scout will be capable of continuous operations providing coverage 110 nautical miles from launch site. It contains a baseline payload that includes electro-optical/infrared sensors (EO/IR), and a laser designator enabling Fire Scout to find tactical targets; track and designate targets; and accurately provide targeting data to strike platforms and perform battle damage assessment.

HERMES 450/180
Elbit's Tactical Long Endurance Hermes comprises a single engine system with advanced composite structure and optimized aerodynamics. Advanced avionics enable autonomous flight and precise GPS navigation. Fully redundant systems significantly increase reliability. Target detection and recognition are performed by gimbaled, electro-optical, payloads.

Hermes 180 TUAV is designed for Brigade to Division Level and addresses needs for high mobility and field deployment. Ideally suited for brigade- level Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. Performs in diverse environmental conditions. Ideal for customers seeking the innovative, performance- proven capabilities of the Hermes 450 combined with comprehensive field deployment capabilities

NIGHT INTRUDER
KAI's Night Intruder 300 is designed for multi-purpose operations such as extended area surveillance, routine reconnaissance, target acquisition and location, battlefield monitoring, damage assessment, and search and rescue. KAI has successfully developed the UAV system and achieved the advanced technologies related to UAV in the field of design, integration and flight test. It has been selected by the Korean Army and Navy.

SEARCHER II
IAI's Searcher Mk II System is an operational, advanced fourth generation UAV system derived from the original third generation Searcher. The Mk II has excellent engine and aerodynamic performance, superior deployment and handling qualities and a new advanced universal UAV mission ground control centre compatible with all MALAT systems. Both Searcher systems are in operational use. With more than 120,000 operational hours, IAI is well established in integrated UAV systems solutions. Missions include enhanced tactical multi-payload UAV system for surveillance, reconnaissance, target-acquisition & artillery adjustment.

SEEKER II
The Seeker UAV system from South Africa's Denel Group has now been replaced by the Seeker II, a greatly enhanced version that has begun deliveries. Developed by Kentron, an aerospace division of Denel, the Seeker had been operational in South Africa for approximately 15 years. Now sporting a new design, major improvements in all important areas including mission capability, performance and system features. Production of the Seeker II system is planned to continue well into the foreseeable future with improved functionality being added along the way. Expansion of the UAV system capability includes electronic surveillance that allows for the detection, classification and location of radar emissions, inclusive of threat warning. More than one air vehicle can be flown concurrently from the same ground station. Range and mobility are improved with the Seeker II's ability to transfer in-flight to other ground stations.

SHADOW 200
AAI's Shadow 200 is a lightweight, tactical UAV system transportable in two high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles with shelters, and two additional vehicles with trailers as troop carriers. Shadow is intended to provide coverage of a brigade area of interest for up to four hours, at 50 kilometres from the launch and recovery site. The air vehicle uses a pneumatic launcher and is recovered by a tactical automatic landing system without pilot intervention on the runway. The air vehicle is stopped using an arresting hook and cable system. The US Army chose AAI's Shadow 200 as its tactical UAV system in 1999 after an extensive competition.

SPERWER
SAGEM's Sperwer was developed to meet a Dutch army requirement for a tactical UAV. Its lineage is rather complex. The SAGEM Crécerelle is its immediate ancestor but that shorter-range UAV is derived, in turn, from the MDS Banshee, a British target drone. Both earlier designs shared the delta winged form of the new Canadian Forces Sperwer tactical UAV. Its airframe design has been constrained by the need to position turret-mounted sensors close to the UAV's nose. As a result, the Rotax engine is installed in the tail driving a 4-bladed, pusher propeller. Sperwer's small delta wings, angled twin tails, and simple rectangular fuselage-section all serve to lower the vehicle's radar return signature. Sperwer is launched from a cradle propelled along a truck-mounted rail to gain flying speed. Recovery is by parachute with landing cushioned by airbags under each wing as well as the fuselage. Sperwer TUAVs are in service with France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Canada, Denmark and NATO.

VULTURE
Another South African tactical UAV, the Vulture, requires no ground pilot or runway - it is recovered via a laser-based approach with aircraft capture in an energy absorption device. South African-based Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE) believes this recovery method is adaptable for UAV recovery on naval vessels. ATE has been awarded a contract for the supply of Vulture tactical UAV systems to the South African Army Artillery which has confirmed the successful completion of the first of a series of test flights according to this awarded contract.

The Vulture UAV is designed specifically to perform target acquisition, fall-of-shot localisation and artillery fire correction. With deployment within thirty minutes in unprepared terrain and training limited to twenty days, Vulture will support tactical brigade level operations as an automated forward observer.

so many UAVs too few funds :drunk:

mag AUV na lang tayo - FX, Highlander, Astro, Anfra, atbp. :thumb:

a paper plane - cheap , stealthy, silent and easy to manufacture :rifle:

:armyLol: Merymeker may be right, sort of ...

Look at this mini-UAV:

SWIFT-EYE



Swift-Eye is a "look-over-the-hill" man portable surveillance solution.

The system incorporates an airborne color TV camera and downlink transmission package, mounted in a lightweight, robust and compact airframe, and a ground control unit with video reception equipment enabling real-time viewing as well as recording for later evaluation and analysis.

The system has been designed to be one man operable, the pilot manoevering the aircraft to areas of interest and evaluating the real-time colour imagery via a head mounted color display sytem.

Cyberflight

just right for a platoon on patrol to scout ahead for signs of ambush and enemy formations... :fire:

re: UAVs

New Concepts Have Emerged for USAF Unmanned Hunter-Killer Aircraft
By David A. Fulghum
09/19/2004 06:42:46 PM


ADVANCED UAVs

The U.S. Air Force is probing the aerospace industry for its concepts for a new class of armed, long-endurance unmanned aircraft, called Hunter-Killer.

But most of the aerospace industry's responses--from Northrop Grumman, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Aurora Flight Sciences and Lockheed Martin--remain shrouded in mystery.

Roughly, it appears five concepts are being offered. Northrop Grumman aggressively spun up two designs, an unmanned version of Scaled Composites' Proteus research aircraft and a smaller, Global Hawk look-alike. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is suggesting its new turboprop-powered Predator B for the role. The aircraft is already flying, costs well under $10 million per copy with sensors, has at least 24-hr. endurance and can carry six 500-lb. weapons. Moreover, the company is expected to roll out a twin-jet Predator C early next year that also could fit into the category.

Aurora Flight Sciences and Israel Aircraft Industries teamed on an armed version of a turboprop twin-boom, 8,500-lb. Eagle/Heron 2 which is in full-scale development. Boeing planners did not offer an entry, saying they had their hands full with the X-45C and other unmanned projects.

Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works' officials would say publicly only that they made a response to the request for information (RFI). Other industry officials say the company is offering an unmanned system of conventional wing and tail design with two piston engines in a standard arrangement. However, the Skunk Works also is looking at a pusher-puller concept that would make carriage of centerline payloads easier. Drawing on classic low-observable shaping, the non-stealthy aircraft will be very smooth and streamlined with few external appendages. Cost is expected to be around $8 million. That is a particularly critical issue since the Air Force RFI restricted total cost for the aircraft and sensors to $10 million, with another $10 million for a ground station.

Other target requirements call for a bomb load of at least four 500-lb.-class laser- or GPS-guided weapons as part of a total 3,000-lb. payload and a 35,000-50,000-ft. operating altitude. The RFI was silent on speed and sensor performance.

Only Northrop Grumman officials agreed to talk in-depth about their offering. To contain cost, company planners chose scalable airframes, commercial civil aircraft subsystems and specialized flight and mission software run on standard personal computers hardened for the flight environment.

"The Hunter-Killer UAV program falls into a new class of UAV that is less than a Global Hawk and more than a tactical UAV like the Predator A or Heron I," says Douglas Fronius, one of Northrop Grumman's long-time UAV concept developers. "We approached it from two different directions because it was a request for information and not a proposal."

The first concept is the Model 395, an unmanned version of Scaled Composites' Proteus high-altitude, long-endurance research aircraft that has been flying for about five years around the world often carrying UAV-related payloads. The design is powered by two Williams FJ44-3A commercial business jet engines.

"The aircraft has a lot of reserve internal volume and electrical power so that it is well-suited for a variety of electronic warfare payloads" in addition to weapons and intelligence and reconnaissance sensors, says Fronius.

The initial cruise altitude with a full load would be 49,000 ft. rising to 55,000 ft. as fuel and weapons are expended, Fronius says. The 395's gross weight is calculated at 15,800 lb. The span of the long wing is 78.6 ft. The aircraft's total length is 56.4 ft.

The second submission is the Model 396 that looks like a mini-Global Hawk, but is within 1,000 lb. of the Proteus' weight. It is an aerodynamic equivalent of the Global Hawk, but about half the weight. Either the 395 or 396 could be ready for a 2007 operational capability, Fronius says.

The 35-ft.-long Model 396 has an 88.6-ft. wingspan and 15,000-lb. gross weight compared with the larger UAV's 132-ft. wingspan and 30,000-lb. weight. It has the same wing and tail design, but offers from 60-80% of the Global Hawk's capability at less than half the cost, Fronius contends. Equipment would include a simpler communications suite, lighter weight sensors and fewer environmental control systems. It is to be powered by a single Pratt & Whitney 545 business jet engine that gives a 220-kt. cruise and 350-kt. dash speed. The landing gear would be moved outward to allow for integration of underwing weapons carriage.

The Proteus was designed to carry very large external payloads in the center fuselage area that makes it an ideal candidate for lifting large weapons loads. The vehicle is capable of carrying up to 6,500 lb. external payload by offloading fuel. The centerline stations mean it won't have asymmetrical loading problems that increase payload flexibility. The aircraft would be able to carry almost any weapon in the USAF inventory up to an EGBU-28 5,000-lb. bunker buster, Fronius says.

The Model 395's two wings give the equivalent lift of a much longer wingspan aircraft. But the main advantage is centerline weapons loading on the fuselage versus the conventional loading on the wings. That allows for ease in integrating weapon and large sensor payloads.

The aircraft is designed so the wingtips can be removed and replaced with longer wing sections on both the canard and main wing. In addition, the central fuselage section above the payload area is removable and can be replaced with other configurations.

"You can actually unbolt the fuselage and reconfigure it, for example with extra fuel tanks or payload bays, for different missions fairly quickly," Fronius says. "We would retain the convertible features that make the most sense once the requirements are established by the customer. For the 500-lb. JDAMs [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] and LGBs [laser-guided bombs] called for in the RFI our standard configuration would be six stations laid out in two clusters of three. Different racks could be installed for different weapons like 250-lb. small-diameter bombs or the bunker buster."

The Northrop Grumman surveillance package would initially include an electro-optical/ infrared sensor ball and a synthetic aperture radar with ground-moving target indicator capability for wide-area search.

The Proteus design "meets the 16-hr. [endurance requirement] with a 3,000-lb. external load and comes close to 30 hr. if the payload is only the ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] package for an imaging mission," Fronius says. "Eventually the system could have a signals intelligence payload installed, although that's not part of the baseline RFI. The leading edges of the wings could be used to install antennas with enough separation for electronic surveillance, but even more attractive are the tail booms that provide a lot of usable real estate for antennas."

Another feature is the front of the tail boom which is removable and can be extended forward as additional payload bays. The twin engines generate 36 kw. of electrical power at 40,000 ft. and cruise speed in baseline configuration.

VMU-1 Pioneer UAV Provides 'Birds Eye' View of Combat Zone


(Source: US Marine Corps; dated Sept. 17, web-posted Sept. 20, 2004)


AL TAQADDUM, Iraq --- The fog of war clouding the modern battlefield is getting a whole lot thinner.

Marines fighting an insurgency through the maze-like streets of Iraqi cities like Ar Ramadi and Fallujah are finding the enemy more easily thanks to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1, Marine Aircraft Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

VMU-1 supports our troops in Iraq with the remote-controlled, unmanned aerial vehicle system known as Pioneer. Unlike the larger Predator UAV flown by other services, the Marines' more tactical Pioneer is armed only with sophisticated camera equipment.

"The Pioneer UAV is an excellent tool with great potential for changing the way we fight the enemy," said Gunnery Sgt. Robert W. Wilson, external pilot, VMU-1. "Without putting additional lives at risk, day or night, we provide a unique overhead view for tactical commanders with imagery intelligence to help them make battlefield decisions and save Marines' lives."

Wilson, a former infantryman, said ground commanders tell VMU-1 daily how grateful they are for what they provide in terms of aerial surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance.

Whether from an airstrip, dirt runway or the back of a truck -- with the help of a pneumatic launcher -- the Pioneer can be set aloft above the enemy quickly.

"Within a few hours of being here we were fully operational," said Sgt. Maj. Patrick A. Prose, sergeant major, VMU-1 and Shakopee, Minn., native. "Sometimes even faster than that if the situation requires it. If we get a call, we can get a (UAV) in the air within 20 minutes," he added. We even have our own motor transport section that facilitates our exceptional mobility and tactical capabilities."

Maintaining a high state of readiness has kept the 'Watchdogs' busy. "If we do not get our job done, then the mission does not get done," said 1st Lt. Jose A. Nicolas, aircraft maintenance officer, VMU-1 and native of Houston. "Under normal training conditions we sustain 200 to 250 flight hours per year. So far we have averaged between 460 to 500 hours per month out here, or 16 to 20 hours per day. We have been working very hard to keep our readiness high."

If a maintenance problem arises, the squadron has two civilian technical representatives on hand to help identify and solve any technical issue. "We try and solve whatever problems arise, but if we need to 'send out the bat signal,' they can help us figure it out," Nicolas said.

VMU-1, while not as large as other aerial squadrons, is a tight-knit unit uniquely focused on its mission and impact on the battlefield below.

Working as a team, maintenance technicians, plane captains and pilots launch Pioneer to get it in the air and into the fight. Once the external pilot flies the UAV to a predetermined altitude and location for a mission, internal pilots within the unit's command center take over.

Then the fun begins. "It's pretty cool, we get to spy on and zoom in on the enemy, even from 3,000 feet," said 20-year-old Cpl. Ryan Rogers, internal pilot, VMU-1, from Detroit.

Keeping constant tabs on the enemy out of reach and out of sight gives the squadron a unique perspective and an appreciation for their hard work.

"Everyday out here we see the positive effect that we have," said Lance Cpl. Robert Daniels, intelligence analyst, VMU-1, and 19 year-old native of Dallas. "We help Marines on the ground so they have a better picture of the battlefield. We observe (insurgents) setting up ambushes, moving weapons or help assess targets before and after a strike," he continued. If the ground commanders want us to direct or adjust artillery fire or close air support we can do that. We can direct any payload to any target."

VMU-1's imagery and intelligence analysts are in constant communication with their own internal pilots and commanders by means of radio and text-based computer communication.

"It is sort of like a real-time, instant-messaging chat room," said 29-year-old Sgt. Matthew Carnejo, imagery analyst, VMU-1, and a native of Bay City, Mich. "We talk back and forth constantly during each mission. Just knowing that everyday we are saving the lives of other Marines is the best feeling in the world."

:specool:

A160 Hummingbird rotary UAV - practical for Philippine terrain.

kaya yan ng mga taga mapua :thumb:

If I am not wrong, Phil got 2 Blue Horizon UAVs from Israel for counter insurgency in the south.

The Blue Horizon UAV is a joint venture between SG and Israel.

They were on trials, we never bought them, I think one of them crashed in Basilan during flight recovery.

The sales was reported , I dun remember the link.

But I believe they were bought for eval and at the same time use against insurgent in the south.

Anyway, I believe PAF do need some UAVs to fight against insurgent, they will be a great help.

now dont say your army canot afford this: :thumb:

CyberBUG

The CYBERBUG is recently developed exciting product recently introduced to the Defense and Law Enforcement industry. The basic product is provided at a base price of $7,500- making this product affordable to all agencies and client and even expendable to many others. The larger version of the BUG provides up to several pounds of payload and will fly up to three and a half hours to four hours. Weight is not a factor in deploying the BUG, the basic platform weighs 2.6 pounds, which includes a camera for day time use with optional IR products for night view; the BUG is scalable and is capable of carrying several pounds of payload. Flight systems are provided via an autopilot and may be controlled using a combination of handheld joystick with GPS overlay or Internet control. The smaller BUG comes in a cylindrical tube; which will allow easy transport, product assembly is 20 seconds.

http://www.proxygen.com/multimedia/CyberDe...eImages1515.jpg

CYBER BUG Specifications

# Length 25-56 inches
# Wing span 30 inch* to 60 inches
# Weight ~ 2.6 Lb* scalable to 5 pounds
# 45 minutes* to 3.5 hours approximate flight time
# 5-20 MPH
# Autopilot* / GPS navigation*
# Hand held viewer and joy-stick*
# Small 12x camera* w/Optional cameras for day and IR(Indigo)
# 9 -18 Volt battery
# Carrying case (small unit)*
# Payload is scalable up to several pounds
# Explosives trigger (on demand to approved clients)
# Includes short range data link* (long range is option)
# Video of launch and flight
# Video of small camera (Genwac) view from BUG
# Video of Large camera view BUG (Sony 480)
# IR video (Indigo)

http://www.proxygen.com/multimedia/CyberDe...eImages1514.JPG

:specool: this is very important for your batalion recon and at 7500 us dollars only - very cheap

That's only around 400K plus in pesos maybe we just can afford it.

Doesn't look adorable though.

That's a bad concept.

When it flies at night, people below might see it as a "MANANANGGAL".

That will definitely scare the civilian populace. :armyroleyes:

I thought I read it somewhere that our troops already developed a homegrown uav...

saan mo nabasa bro?

:armyroleyes: This is not a beauty contest anyway. If its reliable and functional and performs according to specs, then looks are the least of priorities.

try mo sa homepage ng AFP... pinakita na ito ng AFP sa media before... it's under the aeorscout of the LABde

this is cheaper and best of all its made in israel:


Mosquito Micro UAV

Secretive, silent and deadly accurate for the real-time data they can transmit via video-link, such weapons have been employed to devastating effect by the Israeli military in targeted assassinations of militant leaders.

Today the Mosquito is one of the smallest of these UAV systems, measuring 30 centimetres (12 inches) and 34 centimetres (14 inches) wide.

Weighing 500 grammes complete with silent motor, batteries and camera, it offers real-time high-quality video for up to 60 minutes of flying time at 300 feet (90 metres).

http://www.defense-update.com/products/m/mosquito.htm

Also something to consider for our forces...

http://www.military.com/soldiertech/0,1463...=soldiertech.nl

EYE IN THE SKY: The Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For troops raised with a Playstation in their hands, the Raven UAV is as easy to control as moving a joystick and looking at a screen. But it's the Raven's powerful features and neat little package that are making it a favorite in the field.


The Raven could very well be "the little engine that could" of the unmanned aerial vehicle fleet.

THE RAVEN UAV: Killer Features
Name:
Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Killer Features:
A reliable alternative to larger UAVs like the Hunter or Shadow
Provides fast far-sight security, can see farther than ground patrol forces
Transmits real time data that can be recorded to a video camera
45 to 60 minutes of flight time on a battery

By Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper
Army News Service

The Raven could very well be "the little engine that could" of the unmanned aerial vehicle fleet.

Weighing in at four and a half pounds with a five-foot wingspan and stretching a mere 38 inches in length, the Raven is by far one of the smallest vehicles in the Army, but its aerial reconnaissance value has quickly earned the respect of battalion commanders in Iraq and has filled a niche at the battalion level when larger UAVs are unavailable.

"The system is developing the confidence of the leadership," said Maj. Chris Brown, Kuwait Raven Equipping Detachment officer in charge. "We had one commander's team find an IED (improvised explosive device) on its first mission, and the commander has been sold ever since."

The Raven flies various missions that aid in force protection. It is flown to search for IEDs, provide reconnaissance for patrols and flies the perimeter of camps.

"When a company or battalion can't get the larger UAV, such as the Hunter, Shadow and Inet, ... the Raven works very well," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steve Schisler, Raven integration and customer service officer.


Small and easily transportable, the Raven is best employed in conjuction with ground forces.

Schisler explained that the Raven is best employed in conjunction with ground forces. "If you have guys doing a mounted or dismounted patrol in a city or a small town, you can have the Raven flying overhead providing far-sight security."

He continued, "The patrol can't see past the building 100 meters in front of them, but the Raven can. The Raven can see beyond the building … to where two terrorists with their AK-47s are running to engage the patrol.

The Soldiers can then respond to the intelligence rather than respond to an attack."

The UAV is small and can be transported easily in three small cases that fit into a ruck sack. The crew can bring it with them and operate wherever the patrol goes.

The Raven three different cameras that attach to the nose of the plane, an electrical optical camera that sends data either through a nose camera or a side camera, an infrared camera in the nose, and a side-mounted IR camera.

The IR technology is still too big to fit into the nose section of the plane, Brown said.

The camera does not have a zoom and is unable to lock on a target but provides enough resolution to show someone carrying a weapon.

"You have to select what camera is going to be best for the mission at hand," Brown said. "For example, if you're flying over a city and there are shadows, the IR camera can penetrate the shadows and show the hotspots."

He added, "The average Apache pilot would say that the IR on this is better than the Apache, and I would have to agree,"

One of the advantages of the Raven is that it provides real time data that can be recorded to a video camera.

The Raven has about 45 to 60 minutes of flight time on a battery. The kit comes with spare batteries and a charger that plugs into a Humvee so they can land it, pop in a spare battery and get it back in the air.

Schisler's role with the Raven had him travel throughout Iraq to provide customer service to units who flew the UAV. The longest continuous operation Schisler recalled was for more than 10 hours, where they would land the plane, change batteries and launch the aircraft again.


Unlike other larger UAVs, the Raven is launched by hand.


Unlike other larger UAVs, the Raven is launched by hand.
Where large UAVs need space to taxi and land, the Raven is launched by hand and requires one pilot and a second person to monitor the incoming information.

Brnow said, "The Raven is not MOS specific, but rather the question is who can the unit use?"

One example Brown gave was the food service specialists in Iraq have a smaller role because the food services are contracted to Kellog, Brown and Root.

"One of the best pilots in the 1st Cav. is a cook, but that doesn't mean we don't have ... scouts operating the Raven," he said. "Some of these kids have been raised with Playstation in their hands and are better able to handle watching a screen and controlling the aircraft."

A single Raven costs about $35,000 and the total system costs $250,000 but that is a cheap OH-58C, Brown said.

"With this system, we replace a helicopter and crew that's down range and put a system at risk rather than people," he added.

Sa aking karanasan, di natin kailangan ang UAV para sa ating combat operations lalo na sa jungle terrain.

Noon nasa Basilan kami, halos 24hrs a day kung paliparin ng mga Kano ang kanilang PT Orion na merong Thermal Imager para mag-conduct ng aerial recon in support to ground operations. Nag-crash din ang isa sa mga UAV nila.

Nasira ang aming diskarte dahil sa hinayupak na imagery na binibigay ng Kano sa aming TCP na syang nag-direct sa aming mga lakad.

Mantakin nyo ba naman, pati mga baka, baboy damo at iba pang hayop ay ginagapang namin dahil inaakala ng Kano na yon na ang Abu Sayyaf!!!! Nagkaroon kami ng mis-encounter sa Lantawan Basilan (LRC vs SR) sometime in March 2002 dahil sa UAV na yan (buti na lang walang namatay).

Maganda lang ang UAV (sabi na rin ng kano, at base na rin sa aming experience), pag recon ng vast open spaces like deserts and oceans. Paano nga naman makita at ma-confirm ng UAV kung kalaban ang ma-detect nila under thick vegetation.

Ang kailangan natin dito ay palakasin pa rin ang capability ng human resources sa pamamagitan ng maayos na pagsasanay ng "special reconnaissance" na isa sa mission ng SOF.

Most of the time, nata-track namin ang Abu Sayyaf dahil sa ground recon. Ang recon team ng 15th SRC ang nakatuklas sa pinagkampuhan ni Sabaya in June 27, 2002 kaya na-recover nila ang hostages na sina Burnham. (Taliwas ito sa credit-grabbing ng taga K9 Company na ang aso daw nila ang daw naka-track sa ASG).

Note: Pumalpak din ang ini-evaluate ng Army na UAV made by Israel. Nag-crash ito sa Lantawan.

Point taken Surehitter2005. But wasn't such UAV crashes due to maintenance malfunctions? Then again, mahirap ngang makakita nang kalaban kahit saan kapag may jungle or any thick folliage for that matter. The one thing that was proven though was that such aerial reconnaisance placed the ASG at a disadvantage. Kahit ano ang isipin natin sa mga makabagong teknolohiya na ito, ay mangyayari pa rin ito. They are constantly improving it as we speak.

Kahit saan ka magpunta, hindi lahat kaagad nang mga kawal (o sibilyan) ay sumasangayon kapag mayroon bagong programa o kagamitan na pinagagamit sa amin. We're always stuck with the old ways of doing things because this to us is what we are used too. Change is always a bitter pill to swallow ika nga.

I am not against the coming of advanced military technologies that may facilitate the accomplishment of our various missions.

What I am trying to drive at is that the UAV is not practical in our terrain. We must rely on our human resources which are our soldiers. This does not mean "sticking to the old ways" as you said. We must NEVER favor technology over tactics-----there is no replacement to the recon teams in the ground as far as tracking and maintaining "eyes-on" the enemy is concerned in jungle terrain as ours (this is not Afghanistan or Iraq). To achieve this, we still need other technologies that may aid in accomplishing reconnaissance missions--------let me include state of the art NODs, hand-held tactical radios, thermal imager, laser designators, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc. On the other hand, we must train and re-train our soldiers to improve their capabilities in tracking/counter-tracking, observation, land navigation, cam and con, jungle survival.

You know what? I have never experienced any scenario during our military operations that the UAVs contributed to the discovery of the locations of the highly mobile ASG rebels. The ODA which was attached to our unit even hinted that the imagery provided by the PT ORION is not really reliable; as such, ground recon teams of the Scout Rangers were sent to "confirm or deny" the existence of the enemy in a certain area.

Dapat din siguro nating aminin na ang ibang programa na pinapa-implement natin ay half-baked at merong mga "hidden agenda". Let me take as an example the issuance of M249 SAW to our line units. Sino dito ang mag-claim na sila ay binigyan ng PROPER TRAINING para gamitin ng maayos ang mga bagong kagamitan na ito? Di ba binili nila ito na di man lng na consider na wala tayong capability na mag-produce ng linked 5.56mm SS109 dahil ang rate of twist ng M249 barrel ay 1:7? Over-priced na, palpak pa. :grrr:

I think the crash was not a malfunction, it was that the UAV have to land on a steep angle as the jungle canopy is high near the TCP/ UAV launch-recovery point. I agree with surehitter on this, UAV does not fit in our jungle fighting doctrine.

Surehitter, was it you or your company that recovered the israeli UAV?

Picture of indigenous Philippine Army UAV:

http://afp-cmo.tripod.com/articles-2002/02-12-spy-plane.html

caption:

a while back

confirmed?

did they or didn't they? :dunno:

http://www.emituav.com (newer model)

Been hearing that news for long time and the one thing that always surprised me is the estimated price of the UAV, $2-$10million. Cant they approximate a little closer? :dunno: This site has the Philippines buying 2 UAVs.

But never fear, Assunta is here. No not the actress, the locally developed UAV named after the actress. The Philippine Army has its "Assunta UAVs".
This is an old news article. Arsenal page

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija - the Philippine Army (PA) launched yesterday its first locally assembled unmanned surveillance aerial vehicle which will be eventually be used in tracking rebel movements in remote and mountainous areas in various parts of the country.

Lt. Gen Jaime de los Santos, Philippine Army chief, and Sen Ramon magsaysay Jr. led the launching ceremonies for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at the runway of Fort Magsaysay.

"It will be a big advantage for the Philippine Army in identifying rebel lairs and even hide-outs of bandits like the Abu Sayyaf since it can give a comprehensive detail on the terrain over which it passes," he said.

Equipped with a high-resolution camera, the UAV can provide real time images of the terrain conditions as well as enemy positions while flying beyond sniper fire.

"It is less expensive and definitely less risky," De los Santos said.

With a wingspan of 120 inches and overall length of 50 inches, the UAV can fly for two hours using a 40-cc two stroke gasoline engine.

It has a maximum speed of 80 knots. It is also equipped with the sophisticated Global Positioning System Based Pre-Set Waypoints. The first Army UAV was named Assunta after the movie star. Three more UAVs are still undergoing completion, Cpt Greg Almerol said.

According to Oscar Mapua of OB Mapua and Partners, the UAV was assembled jointly by their group and the Philippine Army under the Self-Reliance Development Program (SRDP).


Each basic UAV costs some P250,000.00 while the units complete with avionics communication and autopilot system with ground control station would be more than P1 million.

Mapua said the development of the first Philippine Army UAV took more than one year.



SPY PLANE -An unmanned aerial vehicle prepares for take off, guided by a radio control operator at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, 01 Feb 02. The Army unveiled the first locally assembled aerial spy drones for use in short-range, real time imagery surveillance against the Abu Sayyaf fighters in Basilan and Sulu.


SURVEILLANCE PLANE - Philippine Army spokesman Lt. Col Jose Mabanta points to a hole in the belly of a remote-controlled surveillance plane which houses a camera lens.
---If pictures dont show, click on link above.

Pinoy taxes at work. :thumb:

good to see the SRDP is still active :thumb: