UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
Photo: General Atomics Aeronautical SystemsGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced that its Gray Eagle UAS has reached a record 10,000 successful automatic launch and recoveries with the Automatic Takeoff and Landing System (ATLS). Continue reading
General Mark Welsh, the next Air Force Chief of Staff, admitted that the service’s fiscal 2013 budget was “simply not executable” in the face of Congressional opposition over cuts to the Air National Guard. Welsh vowed to work with Congress, the Guard, and governors “so we never end up here again.” Continue reading
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation two contract modifications totaling $156 million to continue operating and maintaining the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system in support of overseas contingency missions. Continue reading
US Army Colonel Tim Baxter is project manager for the Army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Programme Office. He spoke to Defense Systems Editor-in-Chief Barry Rosenberg about deployment of a company of Gray Eagle to Afghanistan, the use of universal systems and interoperability, and the weaponization of the Shadow. Continue reading
The Pentagon is seeking to send hand-launched UAS to Kenya as part of a $40 million-plus military aid package designed to help four African countries fight al Qaeda and al Shabaab militants, notably in Somalia, the Wall Street Journal reported. Continue reading
Gizmodo claims that one of the reasons that the FAA is closing down a large area around Devil’s Lake, North Dakota is to test UAS lasers. Continue reading
Rheinmetall Airborne Systems GmbH, a joint venture by Cassidian and Rheinmetall, will continue to support the German Armed Forces in Afghanistan by providing unmanned airborne reconnaissance services.
The Pentagon is considering awarding a Distinguished Warfare Medal to UAS pilots who work on military bases often far removed from the battlefield. Continue reading