Pakistan pursues purchase of ScanEagle UAVs

[PakistaniPatriot]

Pakistan pursues purchase of ScanEagle UAVs ​

Trefor Moss JDW Asia-Pacific Editor
London

Pakistan is seeking to buy ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Australia to tighten security and support military operations along its 2,400 km border with Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials voiced their interest in obtaining the Boeing Australia-built UAVs during a visit to Islamabad by Australian Defence Force (ADF) chief Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston on 12 May. They also requested that Australia provide counterinsurgency training and security equipment.

ACM Houston confirmed that the Pakistanis were keen to buy the ScanEagle to bolster their border operations, according to Australian newspaper The Age , adding that "engagement with Pakistan is a vital part of getting the right outcomes in Afghanistan".

The ADF has been operating the ScanEagle - contracted from Boeing pending the arrival of its own I-View UAVs - since July 2007.

The 1.2 m-long ScanEagle has a wingspan of 3.05 m, a service ceiling of 16,000 ft and an endurance of more than 15 hours. It is equipped with electro-optical, infrared and high-resolution video cameras, enabling the operator able to track stationary and moving targets.

Pakistan's interest in procuring the ScanEagle is the latest sign that the country is responding to criticism from NATO member states contributing to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan that Pakistan needs to do more to tackle Taliban forces on its side of the border.

© 2008 Jane's Information Group

 

[PakistaniPatriot]

Now why don't we look at Pakistani companies for such UAVs. I mean INTEGRATED DYNAMICS (INTEGRATED DYNAMICS :: A Complete UAV Solution Provider) is a great company providing all sorts of UAVs.


By the way, I found this article of Pakdef.info but its originally from Jane's. I couldn't get the link from Jane's.

 

[shehbazi2001]

A UAV is much more that a simple remote control or radio-controlled aircraft. A RC model aircraft is always controlled by the operator and is under visual contact.

A UAV is not meant to be in visual contact. Without a satellite to link to, a UAV is nevertheless forced to be in direct radio contact, called line-of-sight radio communication. With SATCOM your UAV can go beyond line-of-sight radio control.

Now lets move ahead. Line-of-sight control forces a UAV to go higher as it goes far away to maintain line-of-sight. It means its then not able to remain at low-level. This is my thinking, any differing opinion is welcome. This makes the UAV short-legged.

A UAV must be good at autopilot. Autopilots of heading, altitude, attitude, speed etc. If you dont want to change heading, u engage the heading autopilot and focus on target or zooming etc.....

Now autopilot is an avionics item. If you buy an autopilot system from the market and try to fit it in your UAV, its not so easy and not so evident. The autopilot system needs to be TUNED. This is a delicate and difficult area.

If the autopilot commands the aircraft to climb to some height but the airframe is not capable of doing it, what shall happen? simply autopilot shall fail. Autopilot needs to know the limitations of airframe.

I think the weak point of local UAVs seems to be the avionics area. Like if some modern UAVs lose radio contact with the GCS, they come back to station under autopilot themselves.

This is my understanding of autopilot.....anyone knowing better can contribute........

Also we need launch and recovery systems on western border, in kashmir and in Siachen instead of take-off and landing. It would be impossible to make airstrips every where in mountains.

A UAV capable of launch by CATAPULT and recovery by PARACHUTE will be better instead of wheeled take-offs and landings in mountains and then in plains the conventional take-off and landing may work.


.....various local names of UAVs suggest that this program is scattered in various places, each one doing a lone venture.......I think a coordinated and central program on UAV can yield some better results.

The question of why don't the indigenous UAVs are bought????? ........we cant discuss it from the tail end.........first come to start of the story.....Are our UAVs good enough???? First analyze this thing....

 

[maqsad]

I am shocked to see that the local UAV industry is not being supported. Unless this Australian UAV has some TOT package for technology that Integrated Dynamics has not yet mastered what is the point? In the near future, combat operations are going to become increasingly net-centric so the earlier that local pakistani firms get started on developing these netcentric technologies indigenously the better.

Well actually I am not so shocked about this since the general pakistani mentality is to somehow find any silly excuse to sabotage local industry and waste local talent as well as bleed foreign exchange. Someone found the opportunity to do all three here.

 

[IceCold]

The accquiring of the scan eagle has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting the local industry, instead because of his endurance. Also once we have these birds, it will relatively easy for us to upgrade our own UAV programe.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

INSIGHT INTO THIS UAV


The ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a 40 lbs (18 kg) UAV designed for continuous mission of 15+ hours, cruising at speed of 50 kt at an altitude of 5,000m'. The system was designed for autonomous field operation. ScanEagle carries a payload of 6 kg, operating at a ceiling of 5,000 m'. It can be launched and retrieved over any terrain, including naval operations.

The system includes a UAV, a Sky Wedge hydraulic launcher, Sky Hook retrieving system, and mobile ground control element. The UAV is equipped with nose-mounted inertial-stabilized camera turret, designed to track an object of interest for extended periods of time. The gimbal carries either zoom CCD or IR sensor. Maximum level sped is 70 kt. ScanEagle is currently deployed with the US Marine Corps in Iraq, where the system flew over 4000 hours this by July 2005.

ScanEagle was designed with removable avionics bay and two expansion slots allowing seamless payload integration. An enhanced ScanEagle was introduced by Insitu in August 2006, incorporating a redesigned camera turret, enhanced infrared camera, and Mode C transponder. The camera turret, utilizes the inertially stabilized turret introduced in 2003, but will not require electronic stabilization by software at the ground station. This will enable utilization of images via Rover type systems. The new turret will be able to house larger cameras, which provides more options on payload camera integration.

ScanEagle UAV flight is terminated by the Skyhook system. Photo: InsituIn August 2006 Insitu has incorporated various new systems under the These changes are currently included in the Block D upgrades program These include the DRS Technologies E6000 infrared camera, improving the UAV's capabilities from a 320x240 pixel resolution fixed camera with an 18-degree field of view to a 640x480 camera, with an increased resolution that supports a digital zoom view of 7.5 degrees. A new inertially stabilized turret, offering a factor of 5 improvement in disturbance rejection has also been introduced. Custom designed, ultra-light Mode C Transponder, is also becoming a standard issue on the ScanEagle. THis transponder is programmable during flight and, as such, allows the vehicle to become stealthy as necessary even at low altitudes. This capability will help with aircraft deconfliction within Operation Iraqi Freedom but will also enable easier integration of the system into applications within the National Airspace or civilian applications. Other changes include the introduction of video transmitter system, Rover interoperability and in-flight fuel measurement systems as well as a number of improvements for reliability and modularity.

A Block D prototype was recently tested in a basic configuration, flying on a continuous, 22 hour mission. The company also announced cooperation with ImSAR, for the development of a new micro SAR prototype which could be introduced with the ScanEagle in the future.

The Block D changes incorporate multiple product enhancements including a new improved IR (infrared) camera with a factor of 3 improvement in the resolution; a new inertially stabilized turret with a factor of 5 improvement in disturbance rejection; a custom, ultra-light, Mode C transponder to facilitate airspace deconfliction; new video transmitter system; Rover interoperability; in-flight fuel measurement systems; and numerous improvements for reliability and modularity.

In early January 2007 Boeing Australia Limited announced it has been awarded a contract to provide reconnaissance and surveillance services to the Australian Army using the ScanEagle autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The services provided by ScanEagle are currently being used in southern Iraq by Australian soldiers operating with the Overwatch Battle Group (West)-2 in Operation Catalyst. By June 2007, the operation was expanded for six months, to support te Australian troops deployed in Afghanistan under a A$20 million program.

In February 2007 the ScanEagle UAV system has been qualified to comply with NATO mandated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) interoperability standard (known as STANAG 4586), establishing common specifications employed in ground station system operating all UAVs used by NATO military forces. STANAG compliance will enable existing and future deployed ScanEagles to be operated with operational ground control stations such as Army One as well as other STANAG qualified systems operated by NATO member nations. The ScanEagle Vehicle Specific Module and Multiple UAV Software Environment ground station were integrated with the Common UAV Control Software package developed by CDL Systems Ltd. employed with the "Army One" ground control station. During the three hour test flight, the ScanEagle team achieved Level 2 for the UAV and sensor system; Level 3 for the onboard electro-optical camera and sensor system; and Level 4 for the UAV and payload control. Further tests employing multiple ScanEagles and ground control stations are scheduled to validate various autonomous functions.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

Some pics of the system....

 

[Super Falcon]

i heared that army is going for german uav in 2006

 

[Interceptor]

Now why don't we look at Pakistani companies for such UAVs. I mean INTEGRATED DYNAMICS (INTEGRATED DYNAMICS :: A Complete UAV Solution Provider) is a great company providing all sorts of UAVs.

Its Technology, something always unique, for instance there are many types of computer with specific user design and they all rank on the basis of technology.

Plus Pakistani based UAV companies have just entered the field of UAV technology there is still a long way to go. Lots of systems still to catch up and design incomparison to world leaders in UAV technology.