Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Flight tests of an armed version of the General Atomics RQ-1A Predator unmanned air vehicle (UAV) have been suspended pending resolution of arms control treaty issues.
Maj Gen Michael Kostelnik, commander of the US Air Force's Air Armament Center (AAC), says the weaponised Predator trials will probably slip beyond the planned 17 November start date unless USAF and US Department of Defense lawyers can quickly determine whether flight testing (and presumably deployment) of armed UAVs is allowed under the arms control agreements signed by the USA. Their decision might also affect plans for unmanned combat air vehicles.
Of concern is whether an armed RQ-1A would violate the 1988 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty, which bars the fielding of ground-launched cruise missiles, but also effectively restricts armed, ground-launched UAVs. The treaty language is limited to those aircraft with an unrefuelled range of 500-5,000km (270-2,700nm). Predator falls within those parameters.
"There are legal issues we hope to soon resolve. Lawyers are working on these matters as we speak, but right now the demonstration is on hold," says the AAC chief.
Kostelnik and other USAF weapons researchers are keen on conducting the flight tests as operational unmanned aircraft would be armed with in-development miniaturised munitions to attack time-critical and mobile targets and to conduct special operations.
A successful demonstration would lead to development of command and control assets, and of concepts for operations.
"Given our experience with surveillance UAVs, the technology is available to arm them with miniaturised munitions," he adds. Kostelnik believes the combination will allow more precise strikes.
If the go-ahead is given, the USAF will equip Predator with the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missile for tests aimed to determine whether the reconnaissance UAV can be used for attack missions.
Operational RQ-1s are already being fitted with laser designators. The first phase flight testing would include two low-altitude launches with the missile targeted by a ground-based laser and with the Predator self-designating.
Source: Flight International
