The U.S. Army aims to build an unmanned aircraft system that would employ multiple sensors for gathering of intelligence during special operations, Defense News reported Thursday.Jen Judson writes Brig. Gen. Erik Peterson, head of the Army’s Special Operations Command, told audience at an Association of the United States Army-hosted forum Thursday in Virginia that the command maintains approximately 333 unmanned aircraft systems.
The command’s UAS fleet includes BAE Systems-built Silver Foxes and General Atomics-made Gray Eagles, Judson reports.
Peterson added the command aims to address data processing, exploitation and dissemination challenges associated with larger drone use.
In a separate report, Breaking Defense’s Richard Whittle wrote the Army seeks to procure up to 36 Gray Eagles to support military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Maj. Gen. Michael Lundy, commanding general of the Army’s Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker, said at the AUSA event the military branch should make vertical-takeoff-and-landing capability a requirement for drone programs.
