Unmanned Aircraft Systems and the Next War

The Army has been incredibly successful in introducing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) from corps level to platoon. Although still relatively new to combined arms operations, UAS are revolutionizing how the Army fights. In 2003, the Army deployed 13 aircraft for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some 10 years later, about 1,200 unmanned medium and large aircraft are in the field. This number increases significantly when small UAS (SUAS) are included. Today, just counting medium and large platforms, the Army has more UAS than the U.S. Navy and Air Force combined. Collectively, Army UAS have flown almost two million deployed hours.

The Army’s leadership within DoD has been vital in providing the capabilities required to develop and field interoperable and common control systems. Regardless of the airframe, video and data are delivered to command posts, vehicles and individual soldiers via One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT). In addition, as proven in theater, delivering information from UAS directly to Apache and Kiowa helicopters, referred to as manned-unmanned (MUM) teaming, is a battlefield combat multiplier.

While the Army should be proud of its accomplishments, it is imperative that we conduct a critical review of our base UAS philosophies and continue to support doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) given an uncertain future of potential near-peer opponents or their proxies. A vital part of this review must include the opportunities of UAS interoperability—capabilities opening the door to doctrinal alternatives whereby an unmanned family of systems (FoS) will again increase combined arms effectiveness—a potential for a second revolution of unmanned systems. This second revolution must significantly expand UAS capabilities while addressing the growing set of future threats. To examine this, one must focus on doctrine, requirements, organization, training and materiel developments.