"John R Weiss" wrote in message
news2G6c.42116$SR1.48965@attbi_s04...
"John Keeney" wrote...

The bandwidth issue is still a real concern. That's a lot of data to
transmit via long-range RF signal, and there's already lots of
competition
for the spectrum. What's possible to do by wire or fiber inside the
aircraft may not be practical via radio to a remote operator.

TCDL provides 200Kbps downlink/10Mbps uplink service. That's adequate
for
this kind of situatuational awareness. More downlink would allow more
raw

For how many nodes/UCAVs at once?

Another good point! What would the nominal/maximum number of simultaneous
UCAV
missions be in a single theater? If there are ongoing UAV recce missions
as
well, will there be enough infrastructure support for simultaneous control
of
all the UAV/UCAVs?

Traditional CAS was seldom done with a single airplane. More often,
flights of
2 airplanes would orbit an IP and alternate attacks under the control of a
single FAC. That provided a larger total ordnance loadout and reduced
time
between individual attacks. It also provided backup in case one aircraft
broke.

Similarly, CAS with UCAVs would likely require more than a single vehicle
per
mission. With the proposed capability (DAS + TCDL, etc), the
infrastructure for
UAV operator stations would be expensive as well as space-consuming. That
type
of infrastructure would not likely accompany front-line units, but would
be held
by separate, dedicated units.

Finally, while semi-autonomous recce UAVs could be controlled via
satellite
links, time delays in control links would likely make high-altitude
satellites
and/or multiple relays unsuitable for real-time control such as that
needed in
CAS. One article I read on TCDL mentioned line-of-sight ranges of 100-160
KM,
which were very dependent on UAV altitude. Some CAS and target ID is very

difficult with high-altitude run-ins...

Actually not all that good a point!

As I said elsewhere, the USAF plans to proliferate switch and relay nodes in
support aircraft like tankers, MC2A and possibly retrofitted AWACS and
JSTARs. HALE UAVs are also being considered for relay platforms. The number
of links and aggregate bandwidth planned for the not too distant future is
much greater than is available today.

That kind of network makes the UAV operators REMFs for sure. There's no more
need for a TCDL terminal in every foxhole (or in every FAC) to control UAVs
than there is now to control manned aircraft. UAVs aren't now and will be
even less in the future directly driven by a ground controller-except when
the mission requires it-. Enroute control is done by autopilot. That's why I
said (several posts ago) that airspace deconfliction is a major obstacle to
using UCAVs in the numbers required to do CAS.

Regarding the cost and ubiquity of terminals, consider Hunter UAVs. Hunter's
current Ground Control Station (GCS) occupies the back of a HMMV while IAI
Malat is developing a Compact GCS significantly smaller for installation in
e.g. C-130s. The Remote Video Terminal to recieve payload data is much
smaller and is intended to be available at the TOC.

During an actual engagement, a single controller should be able to control a
small number of aircraft, taking direct control during target aquistition
and weapon delivery and letting the autopilots handle the "cab rank"
aircraft. This is obviously complex, depending on the details of UCAV
requirements and the doctrines that derive from it. As easily, because
nobody wants a warhead on a blue forehead, all UCAV missions in proximity
with own troops might be required to be under direct control of an operator
at all times.

There's an enthusiasm to hang ordnance on the current generation of UAVs
which is probably a mistake. UAVs are designed to carry sensor payloads and
neither their sensor suite nor the ordnance loads meet the requirements for
CAS/BAI. The services and the manufacturers run the risk of screwing up and
giving UAVs an bad name as ordnance delivery vehicles by not specifying and
building UCAVs with the right characteristics to meet the mission. The first
time some idiot launches a Hellfire from a Predator at a blue target, you'll
see what I mean.