Evolving Missions and Concepts Small Scale Contingencies (SSC) SSCs are assuming a larger role in the DoD’s planning and preparations. In addition to surveillance and reconnaissance functions for traditional military operations, these functions are being applied to broader contingency scenarios where U.S. and allied forces may not be directly involved. These operations include: Humanitarian Relief Operations (HUMROs); Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs); and Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs). As evidenced by successful Bosnia operations, during the past two years, UAVs are able to overfly trouble areas well beyond friendly force lines. This makes them natural assets for the cost-effective, nonthreatening performance of extended surveillance and reconnaissance functions. In June 1997, the Commander-in-Chief of European Command (CINCEUR) requested options for a small-footprint, easily deployable UAV to support Joint Task Forces (JTFs) conducting NEOs and HUMROs, using a sub-Saharan Africa scenario. In response, DARO prepared information on numerous DoD- and industry-developed tactical UAVs for EUCOM staff review. In November 1997, DARO and EUCOM representatives are visiting a number of industry contractors to gather additional information for further assessment. Real-Time Information to the Cockpit (RTIC) RTIC, or sensor-to-shooter linkage, has been a crucial need since allied forces’ largely unsuccessful efforts to target mobile missile launchers during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The Air Force has conducted several demonstrations using high-data-rate (HDR) satellite communication channels to link intelligence and tactical assets in the targeting of mobile, fleeting targets. Meanwhile, during VMU-1’s Pioneer deployment to support a Marine Corps Weapons Tactics Instruction (WTI) exercise at Yuma, AZ during February and March 1997, VMU-1 demonstrated the direct uplink of live Pioneer video to the cockpit of an airborne F/A-18. As such demonstrations increase in number and mission application, UAV roles and capabilities will also expand. Boost-Phase Intercept (BPI) The Persian Gulf War of 1991 reinforced the value of active theater missile defense (TMD). Post-war analysis further indicated the benefits of intercepting enemy missiles early, namely in their boost phase where their launch plume would make them easier to see. Now, a May 1997 report by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) looks at the feasibility of using armed UAVs as TMD platforms. Among other options, the study examined modified Global Hawk configurations as interceptor missile platforms. By replacing its reconnaissance sensors with an infrared search and track sensor and mounting missiles under the wings, analysts traded some of Global Hawk’s fuel and endurance for the extra weight of the weapons packages. The resulting systems could still provide significant on-station endurance, depending on range from base. Challenges include assuring separation of interceptor from UAV at launch, continued target tracking and interceptor guidance during the engagement, and how much self-protection the UAV might need. Costs for an optimized Global Hawk were projected in the $1- to $2-billion range for a 24- to 74-UAV force size (plus ground stations), which would compare favorably with any similarly proposed capability to date. This and other studies of armed UAVs, such as the Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV), are beyond DARO’s responsibility for nonlethal UAVs. However, the clear advantages of UAVs as multipurpose platforms are becoming increasingly well-recognized. Broader mission applications for Global Hawk and other developmental UAVs are fueling an expanding demand.