The Air Force’s UAV Battlelab, working with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Navy Research Lab, is attempting to demonstrate the potential for an expendable unmanned aerial vehicle to provide sensor and target data to AC-130 gunships and the armed MQ-1 Predator UAV, reports Flight International. This expendable UAV would support the larger aircraft by providing video, infrared camera images, and a laser designator.
The Air Force must better explain Agile Combat Employment concepts, align training standards, and address staff shortages to be ready to implement the strategy, according to a new report by the federally funded RAND Corporation.