Buchanan said he is working with other services to find a solution, one that will deconflict aircraft by altitude, space, and time, and allow large aircraft to identify smaller craft at radar range. There are flight rules in this kind of airspace, he pointed out, and not everyone now flying UAVs in the theater is a rated pilot who understands that. Buchanan said the Air Force wants to educate other UAV fliers about the grid system. The basic message: If a smaller UAV is going into a restricted space, its pilot had better be talking to someone who is keeping track of all aircraft locations. (Read here about the Keyhole Concept used in air operations over Fallujah.)
The Space Development Agency is set to launch 21 Tranche 1 data transport satellites on Oct. 5—its fourth Tranche 1 mission since last fall and the first to carry Northrop Grumman-built satellites.