Navy still evaluating UAVs for ‘long-dwell’ surveillance program

By Roman Schweizer, Defense News Media Group

Alan Lessig, Defense News Media Group Capt. (Sel.) Dan Duquette, section head of the Navy’s UAV requirements office, said the service will buy two Global Hawks in fiscal 2003 to support concept development.

RESTON, Va. — The Navy is still evaluating which unmanned aerial vehicle will ultimately perform the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance mission, said Capt. (Sel.) Dan Duquette, the section head of the Navy’s UAV requirements office.

“We haven’t picked that platform,” he told military and industry representatives at the ISR Integration Conference: “Shrinking the Sensor-to-Shooter cycle,” Nov. 20.

While the final decision has not been made on which UAV will conduct the “long-dwell” surveillance mission envisioned in BAMS, the service will buy two Northrop Grumman Global Hawks in fiscal year 2003 to support concept development and fleet demonstrations, he said.

The Navy would like to field the BAMS UAV in 2008, Duquette said.

Under the current concept, the Navy would operate a fleet of UAVs from five bases around the globe to provide regional coverage to support fleet and battle group commanders. The Navy plans to operate the UAVs from airfields and shore facilities that currently support P-3 maritime patrol aircraft.

According to Duquette, the P-3 community has decided to shepherd the BAMS program’s development. “The P-3 community has accepted the BAMS UAV under its wing,” he said. “We see a fairly good match with that community and this platform.”

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