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Unmanned Combat Air Systems: Technical and Legal Challenges

In: Unmanned Combat Air Systems in Future Warfare

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Wills

    (Combat Air Solutions Ltd)

Abstract

The development of UCAS worldwide is consistent with the evolution of UAS as a whole. Countries such as Iran see UAS as offering a significant problem to US maritime forces in the Gulf, for example. Stuart Yeh, in Comparative Strategy, argues: ‘A small force of UAVs could decimate entire divisions of soldiers … destroy all aircraft in a given theater, and put Nimitz-class carriers out of action.’1 As discussed in Chapter 1, the US DoD’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap: 2005–2030 outlines a programme for the development of UAS/UCAS. This roadmap is not policy but it does give guidance on what is possible if procurement leans towards unmanned systems. The USN has now taken over the development of the US UCAS with its UCLASS programme, detailed earlier. A number of other US companies are mirroring Northrop Grumman’s UCAS programmes, although not necessarily aligned with seaborne operations in mind. Boeing has been developing the X-45 Phantom Ray UCAS. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is developing the Predator-C Avenger. This system is a jet-powered semi-stealthy UAS, which has the potential to be more survivable than current UAS.2 Whether Avenger-type UAS has a place in warfare is debatable, as it appears that it is not UCAS as defined by me. Other systems have been trialled, such as the Lockheed Polecat that crashed during trials in 2006 and has since been cancelled.3

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Wills, 2015. "Unmanned Combat Air Systems: Technical and Legal Challenges," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Unmanned Combat Air Systems in Future Warfare, chapter 4, pages 37-56, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-137-49849-6_4
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137498496_4
    as

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