Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for: U.S. MQ-1C UAVs water

newspaper freelance writer Chu Ang

since mid-April, the U.S. Army announced the next 25 years after the UAV Roadmap , the debate over the future status of such weapons ushered in another wave of orgasm. According to the U.S. “Army Times” April 24 statement, although the Army claimed that its short-term goal is to achieve an unmanned helicopter, but as more and more large-scale fixed-wing UAVs began serving in the Army, it U.S. Air Force over half a century between the cracks, I am afraid will therefore further increase.

technological advances spawned the second Air Force

Currently, the U.S. Army has put four MQ-1C “Sky Warrior” UAV deployed to Iraq in the future , similar number of UAV equipment rack or up to several hundred, stand-alone costs will decrease. Relative to the previous model that used only for reconnaissance, “Sky fighters” The biggest feature is the mini-missiles can be mounted, fully capable of independent air strikes. This immediately aroused the suspicion of the U.S. Air Force – the Air Force has always been that the army should never have have the ability to attack fixed-wing aircraft.

U.S. Air Force’s displeasure is not unfounded. As technology advances, unmanned aerial vehicles now had only been able to perform many tasks from the traditional aircraft, such as the interior of the enemy’s reconnaissance, and even direct attacks on ground targets and so on. Taking into account the need for such a high degree of Army tactical air support means, it is likely to develop into a fully independent “second Air Force” – a completely unmanned air power; another perspective, this also means that, as usual sky for their own “spheres of influence” of the Air Force was first pushed beyond the battlefield.

UAV claimed more “cake”

independent Air Force was more than 60 years, the first part of the U.S. Army, through a knowledge of disabilities long-term efforts, it difficult to develop into today’s four military services (Army, Air Force, Navy, and under the direct leadership of President Marine Corps) is one, and get almost all fixed-wing aircraft (aircraft carrier is a special case ). As for the Army, to carry out its mission of support to other, but also to distinguish between the Air Force and eventually developed the Army Aviation – done mainly by rapid troop helicopters, and ground targets in close combat.

although seemingly “interfere”, but ground and air military for decades has been Running continuously, especially in one side of the generals as the senior leaders of the armed forces (such as Chief of Staff Joint Chairman), its policy orientation tend to tilt the military services to their original location, which further aggravate the conflicts.

the U.S. Fox News in the evaluation of “UAV Roadmap” the analysis said, attacks on the U.S. Air Force fixed-wing UAV to feel that they are losing fight since 1948 to power. This will enable the Air Force’s position in the decline in future wars, not to mention as UAV force scale, the upper bound to reduce funding for the Air Force – the “cake” was originally on the big, long run, leaving the share to the Air Force less and less, which naturally make it extremely dissatisfied.

fifth armed service is not a fairy tale

Army spare no effort in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAV’s technical and tactical characteristics and are closely related – they not only manned aircraft performance and increasingly close, more efficiency in operations have an unparalleled advantage through the satellite network and detection equipment on the UAV, the rear area of ??the controller can easily determine the targets and the specific attack plan. Although the U.S. Army’s unmanned aerial vehicles also face how to avoid the air “traffic jam” like new, but most of these obstacles can be set to different heights of the air corridor to identify areas or air traffic control systems and other measures to overcome.

as the April issue of American “defense” magazine predicted, once the Army’s UAV unit development to the relative degree of perfection, the Air Force for control of the sky will be completely weakened. There is a really interesting example: the U.S. Air Force A-10 attack aircraft in the Gulf War despite the hard work, but because it is “working for the Army” role, responsible for air or far less than the F-16, F-15 scene. Now, with the Army’s unmanned aerial vehicles that evolved out of an alternative A-10, Air Force, I’m afraid even that grab the chance to get a credit.

was suggested that all programs should be a large unmanned aircraft to the Air Force, but this is clearly not realistic – UAV direct attachment to the Army, the tactical support to maximize the effect, whether for reducing casualties or labor-saving considerations. Meanwhile, growth also means that the UAV force structure changes in the Army, that in the past that relying on the traditional tank and infantry combat army out of date.

the moment, the wave of U.S. Army UAV development was likened to “gold rush”, only in 2011, the military would get $ 500 million of 29 MQ-1C, together with other projects with a total investment of billions of dollars, the scale is unprecedented. Forward-looking observers will further questions, along with the continued expansion of unmanned aircraft forces, whether from the Army in one day to isolate a “fifth armed service” mean? Should be recognized that this possibility does exist, the biggest suspense is that the trend itself has been leading the U.S. military theorists can then be prepared.