RQ-1A "Predator"

Mission

The RQ-1A Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle system. It is a Joint Forces Air Component Commander owned theater asset for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition in support of the Joint Force Commander. The Predator is designed to be employed in moderate risk areas, minimizing the risk to human life. Examples include areas where enemy air defenses have not been fully suppressed, open ocean environments, and biological or chemical contaminated environments.

Features

The RQ-1A Predator is a system, not just aircraft. This is a new paradigm for the Air Force. A fully operational system consists of four air vehicles (with sensors), a ground control station (GCS), a TROJAN SPIRIT II SATCOM communication suite, and 55 personnel. The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "1" refers to it being the first of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems. The "A" says it is the first version of the RQ-1system series. The Predator air vehicle and sensors are commanded and controlled by its GCS via a C-band line-of-sight data link or a Ku-band satellite data link for beyond-line-of-sight operations. During flight operations the crew complement in the GCS is an Air Vehicle Operator and three Sensor Operators. The aircraft is equipped with a color nose camera (generally used by the AVO for flight control), a day variable aperature TV camera, a variable aperture infrared camera (for low light/night), and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for looking through smoke, clouds, or haze. The cameras produce full motion video and the SAR still frame radar images. The three sensors are carried on the same air frame but cannot be operated simultaneously. Each Predator air vehicle can be disassembled into six main components and loaded into a container nicknamed "the coffin". This enables all system components and support equipment to be rapidly deployed worldwide. The largest component is the GCS and it is designed to be rolled into an C-130. The air transportable TROJAN SPIRIT II consists of two Humvees, a 6.1 meter satellite dish, a 2.4 meter dish, and associated support equipment. It provides communications between the ground station and the aircraft when it is beyond line-of-sight and is a link into secondary intelligence dissemination networks. The RQ-1A system needs 5000 ft x 125 ft of hard surface runway with clear line-of-sight to each end from the GCS to the air vehicles. All components must be co-located on the same airfield.

Background

The Predator system was designed in response to a Department of Defense requirement to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information to the Warfighter. It was the first successful Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration. This is a new acquisition process designed to reduce costs and development time by relying on Commercial Off The Shelf/GOTS technology to the maximum extent possible. In April 1996, the Secretary of Defense selected the U. S. Air Force as the operating service for the RQ-1A Predator system. The 11th and 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons, Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada, currently operate the RQ-1A system. Improvement programs currently under development include an ARC-210 radio, an APX-100 IFF/SIF with Mode 4, and an ice mitigation system which includes an uprated turbo-charge engine. The Air Force has 3 partial RQ-1A systems: The training system at Indian Springs AFAF, the deployed system in Taszar Air Base, Hungary, and a pre-delivery system undergoing validation and verification. Initial Operational Capability is planned for 1 Oct 99.

Source-United States Air Force