A new communications link installed on Apache helicopters streams full-motion video into cockpits, which is giving pilots a more complete picture of what’s happening in the complex urban landscapes where they fight, said Army aviation officials.
The service is working toward giving these same crews the ability to control the UAVs from their cockpits — and eventually — fire the drones’ weapons.
“It became very clear through several engagements in Iraq that we were suffering from a lack of situational awareness when it came to [the] Apache,” said Tim Owings, deputy project manager at the Army’s unmanned aerial systems program.
The Apache attack helicopter when it arrives in a battle zone comes in low and fast, he said. But the crew only sees a two-dimensional view of the area. For example, the front of a building, but not who or what might be lurking behind it.
The video from unmanned aerial systems for interoperability teaming system, dubbed VUIT-2 by its maker Lockheed Martin, sends feeds from nearby UAVs to the helicopters so pilots can see what’s happening around the corner, he said.
For years, military technologists have been pushing to achieve manned-unmanned teaming in the field, where robotics systems and regular forces better coordinate their efforts. Program managers on the project said this is a first step to take this concept from PowerPoint slides to reality.
Now a pilot “not only sees the target he’s engaging in the front, he knows what’s happening behind the building, he knows if the individuals he was sent in to engage have evacuated out the back, he knows what’s happening on the roof of the building.”
The system is shortening the helicopter crews’ sensor-to-shooter intervals, which is the amount of time it takes to locate a target and fire a weapon, program managers claim.
Prior to the installation of the system, UAV operators would have to use radio communications to verbally describe to helicopter pilots the location of a target.
In addition, the Apaches are now able to send what their sensors see to forces on the ground, thus helping to increase troops’ situational awareness.
“The Apache’s real-time video informs the ground forces of potential danger zones, giving them an opportunity to plan alternative, safer routes,” said Lt. Col. Robert Johnston, product manager for the Longbow Apache, in a written statement.
The 1-10 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, a component of the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, has been using the system since late 2008. So far, no units in Afghanistan have received the system. The Army has requested funding for an additional nine battalions to be equipped with the VUIT-2 systems
The basis for this program is the one-system remote video terminal. The device is agnostic as to what platform is sending the data. It doesn’t have to be a UAV. It can be a tethered aerostat, manned or unmanned ground sensors, Owings said. An Apache crew might have access to 20 sensors placed around a battle zone, he said.
Owings stressed that it wasn’t enough to simply send a video over a communications link to a helicopter pilot. The display must also send over telemetry data that helps the pilot know where the target is in relation to his own aircraft.
“How do you make sure that target you are looking at from the UAV is the same as the one you are engaging in?” he asked. Without this data, it’s not possible.
“It just doesn’t give you video, it gives you situational perspective of the video.”
Greg Walker, business development manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said the Army-industry team was able to rapidly field the system in about seven months by using commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and software.
Rather than integrating the system into the cockpit, the team settled on a “kit” that could be added without pulling out and rearranging the aircraft’s electronics. They used the Apache’s standard display screen and added a keypad to the side.
Owings said there was unprecedented cooperation between the contractors that owned proprietary software. Without them opening up their codes, it would have been more difficult to share the telemetry data needed.
“The Army really wanted to get this done rapidly and put it in the field,” Walker said. “The system has proved its worth in combat. Reliability rates are off the scale; more than we anticipated,” he added.
The VUIT-2 gives the crews “level 2” control of the UAVs. The military defines control of unmanned vehicles on a one to five basis. Level 2 is the receipt of imagery or other data directly from the pilotless aircraft.
Level 3 allows pilots or ground forces to direct cameras and sensors. Level 4 allows them to control the flight path of the UAV and fire weapons — such as the Hellfire missiles currently mounted on some Predator drones. Level 5 allows operators to fully control the UAV including the ability to take off and land.
Walker said efforts are underway to give Apache pilots level 3 control of UAVs. A Lockheed Martin-Northrop Grumman joint venture, the Longbow Limited Liability Co., is currently testing a two-way, high-bandwidth data link for Apache crews that gives them UAV sensor and flight data control and the ability to send the UAV to waypoints — areas on a map where it wants the drone to fly over.
The unmanned aerial systems tactical common data link assembly (UTA), will be fully integrated with Apache Block III target acquisition system and pilot night vision sensors. This next-generation system will include the VUIT-2’s video streaming capability. Walker said they are about 18 months away from testing the level 3 controls.
Level 4 tests, including the ability to fire Hellfire missiles or other weapons mounted on UAVs, will come afterwards. Such missiles have gained notoriety in recent years in Pakistan’s tribal territories, where Central Intelligence Agency drones have allegedly been used to kill Taliban or al-Qaida targets.
The UTA system will be fielded on the Apache Block III aircraft beginning in 2012. Of the 634 Block III Apaches slated for purchase, about 270 will come with this new capability, Walker said.
Meanwhile, the VUIT-2 system will undergo some small improvements. It will be smaller and take up less space in the cockpit and its communication range will be extended. There are concepts for adding it to the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters and the UH-60 Blackhawks, Walker said. Owings added that the Army is considering the system for medical evacuation and cargo missions.
Because the VUIT-2 was fielded so rapidly, the tactics, techniques and procedures are being written in the field. There’s a lot more done and to be accomplished, Walker said.
This is just the beginning, Owings added.
“You’re going to see a suite of these interoperable systems rolling out on an annual basis that continue to push the edge in terms of exchange of communication, [and] exchange of command and control.”