Defence Business: Heli Pac in action | ADM Jul 2010
The Heli & UV Pacific 2010 conference and exhibition, held on the Gold Coast in May this year, gave the helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industries an opportunity to discuss technology development and deployment.
Jane Symonds | Gold Coast
In December 2009, Project Nankeen deployed the RAAF’s first operational UAV capability, an Israel Aerospace Industries Heron system, under a service delivery arrangement with Canada’s MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA).
Training associated with the project is being conducted in Canada, but Wing Commander David Riddel, RAAF Project Nankeen Lead, told the UAV conference that the RAAF was looking at local options for the future.
“There are some limitations with the training facility in Suffield in Alberta in Canada, regarding how deep it is under snow in winter … so we are in fact looking at potential options of bringing the training capability to Australia, which would certainly increase and embed the capability into Australian operations,” WGCDR Riddel said.
Riddel identified risk management as one of the key challenges involved with getting an expedited capability into theatre.
“Stakeholder engagement is critical: getting to your end-users and finding out exactly what they meant to say when they wrote the user requirements statement; working out all those things which can provide the risks.”
Project Nankeen recently received government funding approval to enter negotiations for a further 12 to 24 months of service.
It flies - now what?
Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Loynes, Commanding Officer of the Army’s 20 Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment, which operates the Skylark and ScanEagle UAVs, addressed the challenges of effectively using data collected by intelligence, surveillance, target-acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) assets.
“Imagery analysis demands inside the Australian Army are on a very sharp upwards trend,” LTCOL Loynes said.
“UAVs have been one of the catalysts of how we think about imagery analysis and how we exploit, how we produce, and how we disseminate the effects of UAVs.”
Loynes said that the usefulness of UAV imagery was reliant upon users having a clear idea of the information they needed.
“Poorly controlled raw UAV full motion video promotes a state of battlefield voyeurism that acts as a distraction, not as a combat enabler.
“A focussed inventory-based product that answers the specific question is in fact what’s required.
“Our UAV experience has shown that the quality of the answer with regards to the UAV image produced is directly linked to the quality of the question.
“When the question is focused and well defined, you get a good answer.
“This is important because information requirements are what in fact drive UAV ISTAR operations.
“A big part of getting this balance right is making sure that our supported forces are educated,” LTCOL Loynes said.
“This has been a critical lesson learned; first of all, to do some mythbusting about UAV operations, but also to ensure they know what to ask for.
“Providing the training and tools to our people so that we perform the imagery analysis function effectively has been a challenge certainly inside the army but it’s one that we are working on as I speak.
“That is not just a UAV problem … there are now numerous capabilities in service or on the way that are able to produce an image.
“This information and imagery needs to be fused with other pieces of information – if this does not occur, then the information has no context, no relevance, and is of limited use.
“When UAVs are part of the larger fused ISTAR and electronic warfare (ISTAREW) network, then we can also cue other sensors to do things smarter.
“In the end, UAVs are but one of many sensors required on a modern battlefield, each with a job to do, but when working with each other and with like ISTAR capabilities, the effect increases exponentially.”
In a similar vein, 16 Aviation Brigade’s Staff Officer Operational Airworthiness, Lieutenant Colonel Neil Monaghan likened ADF commanders deploying UAVs to alcoholics: one is too many, and 4,000 is never enough.
“I don’t think there’s a commander out there in the ADF today that doesn’t realise the importance of unmanned aerial systems,” LTCOL Monaghan said.
“With the acquisition of the UAV being introduced by JP129 and also with the RAAF’s acquisition of Heron, we can see its proliferation is not going to abate in the years to come.
“So how are we in Army looking at handling this booming increase in UAV technology?
“It comes with a raft of issues, and we’re attacking that at the moment.”
During his presentation on operational airworthiness management for UAVs, LTCOL Monaghan told the conference the ADF was working on updating regulations and procedures to keep pace with technology development.
“A lot of operational airworthiness rules, regulations and procedures are quite old, and they haven’t kept up with the advancing technology that goes along with UAVs.
“The ADF has a robust and far-reaching attack on how to make sure we put the rules and regulations in place at the base level to encompass the advancements in technology in future and what may arise.
“Along with ADF agencies we’ve also been in contact with CASA, and if we can get this regulatory framework wrapped up and structured in such a way that it can cater for some advances into the future, then hopefully we won’t have to spend the next ten years revisiting old ground.
“Hopefully we can make some inroads on that in the upcoming months,” LTCOL Monaghan told delegates.
Romeo TCDL on show
Jane Symonds | Gold Coast
Team Romeo (Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky) used the Heli Pacific exhibition as an opportunity to provide a demonstration of the MH-60R helicopter’s network-centric warfare capabilities.
Lockheed Martin and Saab ran a graphical representation showing the aircraft transmitting FLIR video to the Saab 9LV combat system console on board an Anzac class frigate over the Hawklink Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL).
The Hawklink TCDL consists of a Ku-band air-to-ship pipe capable of streaming FLIR video and other sensor data at 10 megabits per second.
The demonstration illustrated the Romeo’s capability to supply real-time situational awareness information to the frigate regarding ships and smaller vessels in a patrolled area, as well as launching an anti-surface strike when required.
The scenario involved an MH-60R and a Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) leaving the Anzac class frigate to intercept a suspicious merchant ship 30 miles away.
While en route, the MH-60R identified a recreational cruiser on an intercept course with the RHIB with armed personnel on board.
The MH-60R sent updated radar tracks back to the Anzac, allowing the frigate commander to view the FLIR video and give an order to engage the cruiser.
After receiving permission to engage, the Romeo fired a Hellfire missile, sinking the cruiser.
The helicopter was then able to provide top cover for the RHIB, allowing it to complete its mission to intercept and board the merchant ship.
The Romeo is up against the NHF90 from Australian Aerospace under AIR 9000 Phase 8 competition.