Use of UAV for Target Designation

Oleh: Kapten (Cpl) Tumpal Raines Napitupulu, Kagud Alpal Pal Kopassus, Kadiv Hubungan Pemerintah TANDEF

Introduction

1. This presentation will introduce personnel to the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for target designation. UAV plays an important role in RISTA (Reconnaissance, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) system which is employed by Australian Army in Concept of Land Operation.

Definition of UAV

2. A UAV is defined as a self propelled aircraft that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift. It is designed to be returned and reused, and it does not have a human on board. This definition excludes lighter-than-air craft such a balloons, blimps, zeppelins, or airships; and it rules out ballistic missiles, which do not employ aerodynamic lift to achieve flight. It excludes cruise missiles, because they are one-way platforms, where UAVs are two way.

Classification of UAV

3. The modern concept of US Military UAV is to have the various aircraft systems work together in support of personnel on the ground. The integration scheme is described in terms of a “Tier” system, and is used by military planners to designate the various individual aircraft elements in an overall usage plans for integrated operations. The Tiers do not refer to specific models of aircraft, but rather roles for which various models and their manufacturer completed. The US Air Force and the US Marine Corps has its own Tier system, and the two systems are themselves not integrated.

(Fig. 1-Clockwise from the top left: Tier I Pioneer, Tier II Predator, Tier III Global Hawk and Tier IV Darkstar)

Concept of Land Operations

4. The current concept for land operations involves the allocation of troops to focal areas within a wide area formation boundary. The focal areas are based around key assets such as towns, airfields, port facilities and other important elements of infrastructure. Under this concept, the Army will rely heavily on an efficient, integrated system for the detection, selection, and engagement of targets in order to defend regions effectively (RISTA).

Reconnaissance, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RISTA)

5. RISTA is a term used by US Army. In its macroscopic sense, RISTA is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing the information they gather. Information is collected on the battlefield through systematic observation by developed soldiers and a variety of electronic sensors. Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance are methods of obtaining this information. The information is then passed to intelligence personnel for analysis, and then to the commander and his staff for the formulation of battle plans. Intelligence is processed information that is relevant and contributes to an understanding of the ground, and of enemy dispositions and intents. RISTA is the process of integrating the intelligence process with surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance tasks in order to improve a commander’s situational awareness and consequently their decision making. The inclusion of the “Intelligence” is important as it recognizes the importance of taking the information from all of the sensors and processing it into useful knowledge.

(Fig. 2, the chart explains that RISTA system employs Ground Radar, Aircraft Reconnaissance, UAV, and Intelligence Agents-military or undercover- to support units with firepower destroying enemy target)

6. There are several target designation devices which are carried by each UAV as a payload. They are:

1. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). A radar system in which an aircraft moving along a very straight paths emits microwave pulses continuously at a frequency constant enough to be coherent for a period during which the aircraft way have travelled about 1 kilometre; all echoes returned during this period can then be processed as if a single antenna as long as the flight path had been used.
2. Moving Target Indicator (MTI). A system works with SAR which enables the radar to designate a moving target and engage the target continuously until the target is destroyed or disappear from radar detection.
3. Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) or Thermal Images. FLIR is a device which enables UAV and its operators to see the target in low visibility situation (e.g. at night, foggy weather, etc) utilizing heat or thermal images from the target.
4. Laser Designator or Range Finder. It is a device used to illuminate the target with laser beam to enable the missile or precision ammunition track and destroy the target. This device can be used to measure the range of the target.
5. High Resolution CCD-TV Camera. It is a device for detection and selection of the target during daylight where weather is clear. It incorporates an Advanced Pattern Algorithm to analyse picture a video result from any possible enemy location or movement.

(Fig.3: UAV helps dismounted soldiers in navigation and locating enemy position, thus provide better tactics and manoeuvre on the battlefield)

(Fig.4: UAV guides precision munitions, delivered by air or ground vehicle, to destroy enemy targets)

Extensive Use of UAV

7. The most extensive use of UAV for reconnaissance role was in Vietnam War. A total of 3,435 operational reconnaissance UAV sorties were flown in Southeast Asia between 1964 and 1975. The most successful one is Ryan 147.

8. The attack on the Iraqi-held Kuwaiti airport provides another illustration of the utility of UAVs. During the encounter “a live Pioneer UAV picture showed a battalion of Iraqi tanks poised on the north end of the airfield for counter attack. The armored forces were broken up by naval gunfire and air attacks before it could strike the advancing Marines.” One account described how “UAVs were used to map Iraqi minefields and bunkers, thus allowing the marines to slip through and around these defenses in darkness, capture key command sites without warning, and speed the advance into Kuwait by as much as two days”.

9. In one instance, Iraqi soldiers surrendered to a Marine Pioneer during battle in Kuwait.

10. The US navy launched its PIONEERs from the battleships USS Missouri and USS Wisconsin for fire direction and spotting tasks during the naval bombardment operation, while the USMC and the Army employed their vehicles for target designation, damage assessment, and reconnaissance/warning. In particular, the PIONEER systems worked in close co-operation with the AH-64 APACHEs, AH-1 COBRAs, and AH-1W Super COBRAs, identifying and pinpointing targets to be engaged by the combat helicopters.

Future Development of UAV

11. The future development of UAV is based on The UAV Roadmap 2002-2027 (part of US Department of Defence FCS Plan-Future Combat System), sets out 49 objectives relevant to the introduction of new capabilities, the determination of standards and cost control. The costs per kilogram are currently around US$3,300 for the air vehicle and US$17,640 per kilogram of sensor equipment.

12. Generally, The classification of UAV will be changed into four classes, each class designated for unit deployment such as platoon, company, battalion and brigade.

(Table 2: FCS UAV Key Capabilities and Driving Requirements, US DoD UAV Roadmap 2002-2027)

Conclusion

13. UAV offers a huge capability enhancement for TA (Target Acquisition). Although not suitable for initial target detection because of their limited field of view, they provide an excellent capability for corroborating and positively identifying targets. They also provide a means for retaliation enhancement. The real-time images, transmitted back to ground monitors, can be used to adjust indirect fire onto a target and also provide an important facility for bomb damage assessment.

14. Integration of UAVs within the TA system will further enhance the capability by providing positive target identification, as well as a retaliation and bomb damage assessment capability.

References:

A. Tom Ehrhard, “The US Air Force and Unmanned Air Vehicles” -PhD diss., John Hopkins University.

B. Captain I.W. Burch-School of Artillery, Puckapunyal and Captain B.G. Butson-RISTA Regiment, Target Acquisition in Support of The land Concept of Operations, Combat Arms, page 9-14, January 1995.

C. www.wikipedia.org

D. Presentation of UAV Class II/III Industry Day, 4 December 2006.

E. Col. Mark McDonald, UAV in Fires Brigades, Presentation Briefs, US Army Field Artillery Centre, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

F. Paul G. Fahlstrom and Thomas J. Gleason, Introduction to UAV System, Columbia Media, June 1998.

G. Lt Col Richard M Clark, USAF, Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles, Air University Press, August 2000.