[CTRL] Plans for unmanned warplane near take-off

[William Shannon]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-86632,00.html



SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17 2001

Plans for unmanned warplane near take-off

BY MICHAEL EVANS, DEFENCE EDITOR

THE US Air Force moved closer towards deploying an unmanned combat aircraft
last night as it prepared for a test-firing of a laser-guided missile from a
Predator surveillance drone.
The Predator, which was used extensively in Nato’s Kosovo bombing campaign in
1999 to provide photographs of Serb troops and armour, is big enough to carry
anti-tank missiles under each wing. In the planned test-firing, which was due
to take place at Nellis Air Force base in Nevada, the Predator was primed to
launch a laser-guided Hellfire anti-tank missile at a stationary armoured
target. America and Britain are investigating options for sending remotely
piloted air vehicles into battle as missile platforms as an alternative to
deploying traditional fighter jets into hazardous war zones. The Americans,
however, are well advanced in their trials and are able to use Predator as an
experimental platform because of its size. Britain’s only unmanned
surveillance drone is the Phoenix, which was also deployed over Kosovo, but
it is much smaller, with a wingspan of about 15ft, and can operate up to an
altitude of only 9,000ft. However, larger unmanned air platforms are being
studied. The Predator’s role as a possible unmanned bomber was first tested
in an experiment three weeks ago at the China Lake range in California. A
Hellfire missile was fired at a target from a Predator, which had been placed
on a ramp. The test was successful. According to Jane’s Missiles and Rockets,
questions were raised over the legal status of the unmanned combat air
vehicle concept. There was an argument that it could be defined as a missile,
rather than a combat aircraft, and could be covered by arms control treaty
limits on cruise missiles. The doubts were resolved.