From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #381 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Friday, 11 August 1995 Volume 05 : Number 381 In this issue: I'd asked about... U.S.A.F. UAVs [none] UAV v. RPV Some Thoughts on UAVs, RPVs, E-Systems Skunk Works Books See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: kuryakin@arn.net (Rick Pavek) Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 03:40:40 +0700 Subject: I'd asked about... The X-35. (SIA for the offtopic). I'm told (by Scott Lowther) that the Johnson Space Center came up with a design to counter the HL-20. The X-35 at this time is an unofficial name for it. What is it? It's a larger version of the X-24A. Same shape... just made larger. They even kept the canopy shape because the aerodynamics were known, or something... but it's metal, not plexiglas. This is, heresay, and I'd appreciate anybody that knows more about it. Sounds like a product of the "Not Invented Here" syndrome, if there's any truth to it. Rick ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Thu, 10 Aug 95 11:59:12 EST Subject: U.S.A.F. UAVs :AIR FORCE EXPECTS UAV UNIT TO BE READY FOR OPERATIONS BY JUNE 1997 The first Air Force unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) squadron should begin receiving its first aircraft by next July and will be ready for worldwide operations the following June, the squadron's commander said. The number of operations the squadron will be able to support will depend on how many air vehicles it gets, Lt. Col. Steven Hampton, commander of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, said. The unit is guaranteed to have a minimum of five Tier II Predator medium altitude endurance UAVs by next July. While the draft concept of operations for the squadron has options for five, 10 and 20 aircraft, Hampton said he figures on having five or 10 drones at first. With five or 10 aircraft, Hampton said he will be able to field "a lot of capability" between next summer and fall. With five UAVs, the Air Force could support an operation like the current operation of Predators out of Albania for missions over Bosnia. With 10 drones, the service could support an overseas mission while also training operators in the U.S. Hampton said he eventually sees the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron consisting of Predator medium-altitude endurance UAVs, Tier II Plus high-altitude endurance UAVs and Tier III Minus stealthy UAVs. Today's edition of Defense Daily reports the Predator is being produced by General Atomics, Tier II Plus by Teledyne Ryan, and Tier III Minus by Lockheed Martin. ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 15:50:33 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [none] Hello all, I am going to ask for the last time the same question: Did anyone heard about the top-secret project back in the early 70's codename: "Troya's Horse" and "Marco Polo" in Mojave Desert? It is relative with something in high level physic call: "swirl". Live Long and Prosper Su Wei-Jen wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ From: RHOEFELM Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 14:21:34 -0400 (EDT) Subject: UAV v. RPV Hi, What is the difference between an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)? Is there a difference, or are they different names for the same thing? Ralph S. Hoefelmeyer rhoefelm-cos3@kaman.com Enjoy Nature ... from the top of the food chain. ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 23:43:30 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Some Thoughts on UAVs, RPVs, E-Systems Ralph Hoefelmeyer wondered, what the difference between UAVs and RPVs is. What follows is my opinion, and not necessarily a fact. I believe that RPVs are always remote controlled (from an ground operator or from a launch aircraft), and that the term UAV was introduced, to cover all unmanned aircraft, including autonomous vehicles, which have no human controller. Also, it seems to me, that the term 'drone' is now mainly used for RPVs posing as targets, and not as often for reconnaissance/surveillance vehicles. As with Missiles, Rockets, Guided Bombs, and other US military equipment, the designations used are not always accurate: For example the Brunswick ADM-141A/B TALD/ITALD and the Rockwell AGM-130A/B/C are guided, but unpowered gliders, while the PQM-102A/B Delta Daggers are the only remotely controlled aircraft designated in the Missile series. Other RPVs have piston engines and wouldn't immediately qualify as missiles. It seems that the major difference would be Guided = Missile or sometimes Guided Bomb; Unguided = either Rocket or no designation at all. Many drones have no (known) official designation, like the Israeli-built reconnaissance/surveillance/target-acquisition UAVs, from Mazlat Ltd. (IAI), for the US Army ('Hunter'), the USN and USMC ('Mastiff III' and 'Pioneer'), and the Bell/Boeing designed 'Pointer' UAVs for the US Army and USMC, and, of course, the Tier series of UAVs for the CIA and USAF. BTW, E-Systems also build a lot of RPVs/UAVs and reconnaisance systems for aircraft and drones: * E-Systems Inc., Greenville Division, TX: - Model L450F (based on Schweizer SGS-2-32 glider), registered 'N2450F'; - later modified to XQM-93, serial '70-1287', under the 'Compass Dwell' program; - they also did conversion work on KC-135s and other USAF aircraft; * E-Systems Inc., Melpar Division, VA: - they produce mainly Electronic Combat Weapons and Reconnaissance Systems (ECWRS), Remotely Controlled Intelligence Systems (RCIS), Information Systems, Electronic Warfare and Communications products, and Physical Security Sensors; - twin-tailboom mini-RPVs models: E-45, E-55, E-55S 'Superfly', E-100X; - single-tailboom mini-RPVs models: E-75 (for USAF 'LCEHV' program), E-90 E-130, E-150, E-175, E-200, E-260, E-310; - 'Senior Guardian' system (LAPAS in Germany) for the GrobD 500 Egrett high altitude reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft, including sensors, data-link, SAR, etc.; - E-Systems also worked on an unmanned version of the Egrett, called EVER (Endurance Vehicle for Extended Reconnaissance); - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 23:57:39 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Skunk Works Books Here is a little tidbit: Jay Miller is working on a new edition of his book "Lockheed's Skunk Works -- The First Fifty Years", which should come out soon (late October). Also, the Squadron Signal book #6067, "SR-71 Blackbird", by James Goodall, has a lot of pictures, some of them new, but has little substance. I am missing an index and a production list, and I expected at least one photo of each aircraft, but some are missing. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #381 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". 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