General

Predator, also identified as the Medium Altitude Endurance (MAE) or Tier II UAV, is a derivative of the Gnat 750 (Tier I) UAV. In July 1996, Predator completed its 30-month ACTD program and is transitioning to low-rate initial production (LRIP) in the formal acquisition arena. The system provides long-range, long-dwell, near-real-time imagery intelligence (IMINT) to satisfy reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) mission requirements. The air vehicle carries both EO/IR and SAR sensors which, with Ku- as well as UHF-band satellite communication (SATCOM) links, enable the system to acquire and pass imagery to ground stations for adverse weather, beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) use by tactical commanders. Recent addition of de-icing equipment now allows transit and operation in adverse weather conditions. This capability was deployed to Bosnia in October 1996. As production assets augment ACTD assets, Predator will be the operational endurance UAV workhorse for the next several years. Prime contractor is General Atomics ­ Aeronautical Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA.

Program Status

After a November 1995 return from Albania and support of United Nations operations in Bosnia, Predator AVs incorporated both a SAR sensor (with imagery transmitted through the Ku-band SATCOM link) and initial ice sensing features to enable poor weather operation. Predators redeployed in March 1996 to Taszar, Hungary, supporting NATO operations in Bosnia; return is currently planned for February 1997. Concurrently, other Predators participated in a succession of interoperability demonstrations, specifically with the U.S. Customs Service (Fall, 1995), a Navy carrier battle group (CVBG) (Fall, 1995), and a Navy submarine with SEAL team aboard (Spring, 1996); details are on pages 32-33.

On 30June 1996, Predator completed its 30-month ACTD. On 26July, General Atomics received a $23 million contract for another five AVs and ancillary equipment. On 2September, the Air Force Air Combat Command's 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV, assumed operational control (OPCON) of assets.

In the Defense Appropriations Act for FY 1997, the Congress transferred Predator's production funding from the Defense-wide Procurement account to the Navy's Procurement account and increased the amount by $50 million to $115.8 million for the year (which included funding for U-CARS integration on Predator and Outrider).

Schedule

Transition and Acquisition Program Features

Predator constituted a ClassII (weapon/sensor system) ACTD and will enter formal acquisition as an LRIP program. The JROC recommended an initial force of 16 systems (plus attrition spares) (JROCM
010-96), including one system for R&D, or more than 60 AVs, counting the retrofitted ACTD versions. Resource programming to support life-cycle acquisition, operations and support is ongoing and candidate capabilities are listed below. The DoD plans to continue all system development and procurement through the Navy's UAV JPO, while the Air Force manages system operations and maintenance. Predator's LRIP production configuration and longer-term P3I program will be more fully defined in FY 1997.