UAV overload could hurt Predator program

(Credit: U.S. Air Force)

It's arguably the biggest technology success for the Pentagon during the Iraq War era: the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. But could that very success could prove the undoing of the UAV corps?

The U.S. Army wants more of the aerial drones patrolling the skies, and it has the backing of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who has ordered the Air Force to dramatically boost the number of Predator aircraft on the front lines (at the moment, there are 22). The Air Force in turn is pushing back, arguing that the scramble could put a severe strain on Predator teams--even up to the point where they break down completely.

To read more about the UAV mission and the interservice bickering between the Army and the Air Force, see this story in the Los Angeles Times: "Pentagon battle breaks out over a spy plane.

[mikeburek]

OMG. What a bunch of whining. The pilots are in Nevada, not driving over ground littered with explosives. The problem highlighted here is that there are not enough qualified pilots. But instead of saying why, they just complain. Explain that training takes longer than it does to manufacture a drone. How many pilots are complaining that their stay in Nevada gets extended and they don't get to go fly in Afghanistan? Give a reason, not crying. All of the soldiers are important and they should be given the best chance of survival. Training the pilots that keep the ground troops safe would seem like a pretty good use of resources.

[mikeburek]

Is Col. Chris Chambliss not aware there is a war going on? "Hey, you guys are just going to be here until we stop" is kinda part of war. Would there even be an America if during WWII the soldiers just punched their time cards after their original tour and went home?

Also, this is just the worst statement he could have ever made: Comparing an extended tour of duty in Nevada to "a prisoner with a finite term versus a prisoner with a life sentence."

How does he think the soldier actually in the war feel? What about all the veterans from previous wars?

Maybe he thinks his pilot will get fat like the Southpark kids during the episode when all they did was play computer games 24x7.

Yes, even these pilots have made a big commitment to the country and I'm very thankful of it.

[gree0232]

The real issue is pilots, and the Air Force is convinced that you need a pilot that is capable of flying an F-16 or an F-22 to be able to fly a predator drone. I am thinking this is probably putting the goose before the egg, and more about Air Force politics then it is about reality. After all, every Army Brigade Combat Team has a UAV platoon, (allbeit not with predators) and those 'pilots' are specalists. They are only a fraction of the cost to both train and impliment versus an F-22 pilot and I'll wager they complain a lot less than an F-22 pilot as well. Problem solved.

[dstrebor]

The Air Force decided long ago that Predator would be flown by "Qualified Pilots". I think they're missing the boat. Planes are flown.....UAV DRONES ARE OPERATED. A UAV operator is not a pilot. Ask the Army....They have been operating UAVs longer than the Air Force! Army UAV Operators are enlisted guy trained to operated the UAVs. They are currently operating the Sky Warrior Alpha UAV (Predator based Platform) over the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan right now! Maybe the Air Force should "shut up and color". They might learn something from there brothers in green. We are all on the same team! Lets start acting like it.