Originally Posted by
betty swallox
From the latest Flight International...
" The USAF's MQ-9 offers persistence, but cannot match the situational awareness of manned systems".
From the horses mouth, as they say..!
I was going to try and articulate this before. I have lost count the number of times that SA or feeling in the water have paid off. just some examples:
1. Looking for the Malin AGI believed to be in the Irish Sea. Opted for intermittent radar policy. Entered via North Channel, Mr Murgatroyd switches on ASV, quickly dots dozens of contacts, then back to standby. Third target was the AGI. The only reason it was 3rd was we investigated #1 and#2 as they were on track to the AGI - and there was no racket.
2. Search area was the whole North Sea. Target was the first Krivak 2. Was it exiting the Baltic for North Fleet or the Black Sea? About 30 minutes into the task, poor vis, radar silent and we bounced it.
3. Search area in the Atlantic SE of Iceland. Sea fog, viz about 2 miles or less and sea state zero. Opted for covert radar search. Nothing in briefed area. Eased gently to edge of area and bounced an AGS with its side hatch open and a rib departing in to the fog. By the time we got back the rib was almost back to the ship having been recalled and the next pass it was stowed and the next the hatch was closed.
These were not isolated events nor the skill or intuition of one person but the crew collective.
Can you imagine the RPV MPA crew? For a start you would not have 6 experienced sensor operators nor three WSO nor two pilots. You might have a total of 2 pilots, two WSO and maybe two WSOp. Immediately you have cut the learning and experience gaining potential by 30%. Would they also retain that edge that an airborne crew would have?