UV Online 
AUVSI:A160 operational deployment talks for JIEDO sensor
The US Army’s Unmanned Air Systems Program Executive office has confirmed it is in three way discussions with US Special Operations Command about integrating a synthetic aperture radar developed by the Department of Defense's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) onto the Boeing A160 Hummingbird for operational deployment.
The army proposal is one of several currently being considered by JIEDDO says UAS PEO project manager COL Greg Gonzalez.
He says that “we are only one service that has provided a potential solution for the integration of the payload onto the platform. Right now…JIEDDO are making an assessment of what would be the most cost effective, operationally suitable solution for that payload. We are just one of those. We think we have a good option and a rapid way to do this but the final solution has not been selected yet.”
Gonzalez describes the sensor as a “very effective synthetic aperture radar…It is primarily focussed on moving target indication.”
Tim Owings, deputy project manager for the UAS PEO, says “we have a very close relationship with USSOCOM. We have explored the idea of teaming with USSOCOM to field A160 where we would act as the agent for sustainment and support of the system. That program to date has not been funded. There was some congressional language recently that potentially supported that movement.
“The bottom line for us though inside the Army is that our job is to field the best capability wherever it lies. USSOCOM has a keen interest in A160. We think that the Army, for a particular mission, may have a very keen interest in A160.…
“There [are] some missions that A160 can do that nothing else can do. If funding materialises we are positioning ourselves to very rapidly move A160 into theatre”.
Peter La Franchi, Washington DC
Email this to a friend.