Electronic Military & Defense magazine was developed for engineers, program managers, project managers, and those involved in the design and development of electronic and electro-optic systems for military, defense, and aerospace applications.
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Feature and it eliminates the issue of pilot endurance. It can carry 4,500 lbs. of smart bombs, and its projected cost is about half that of a new $100 million (manned) F-35 Lightning II JSF. Its first carrier launch and recovery is scheduled for 2013, followed by autonomous aerial refueling demonstration in 2014, with the goal of bringing the platform into service by 2018. It is likely to carry EO/IR sensor payloads, SAR and ISAR radar with GMTI and MMTI, as well as electronic support measures (ESMs). There are other emerging UAV programs that could easily stored, transported, and deployed. It is designed to carry about 30 lbs. of sensors for ISR and communications, permitting GPS-guided autonomous flight. Conclusion In this article, we have reviewed only a portion of the current and future UAV systems that will provide opportunities to the electronic payload market, both domestically and abroad. The growing need for ISR capabilities will only increase the market opportunities for UAV systems and electronic payloads, despite shrinking defense budgets and austerity measures worldwide. In today's budget-conscious world, better-equipped soldiers provide a sensible path to reducing the size of the military without decreasing its effectiveness, and UAVs and their payloads will play a significant role in achieving this goal. (Although it was not the focus of this article, there is also a growing law enforcement and civilian market for UAVs that will provide additional opportunities and support industry growth in the next decade.) U.S. Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout provide great opportunities for the electronic payload market, including: • MQ-8C Fire Scout: Northrop Grumman received a $263 million contract for eight new MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters, based on the Bell 407 airframe. This new UAV is twice the size of the current MQ-8B, which will allow it to carry 1,000 lbs. of payload (weapons and sensors) — five times the capacity of the current Fire Scout. • Solar Eagle: The Solar Eagle is a HALE UAV being built by Boeing Defense, Space & Security under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program. This solar-powered UAV will be able to carry 1,000 lbs. of ISR payload at 60,000 feet for five years without replenishing. • ScanEagle: The ScanEagle UAV has been tested with a hydrogen fuel cell, which would reduce the UAV's power plant weight, allowing for greater IRS payloads. • Argus One: This lighter than air (LTA) UAV has a flexible, non-rigid body that can be www.vertmarkets.com/electronics ■ Electronic Military & Defense 13 The design trends for future UAV systems will focus on increasing range, endurance, complexity, and autonomy. Some of these will be achieved through the capabilities of the vehicles themselves, but likely more will be accomplished through more sophisticated payloads, such as wide-angle EO/IR sensors and advanced radar systems that can penetrate foliage. The STUAV payloads market will continue to focus on size, weight, and power (SWaP) and will look to add large UAV capabilities including SIGINT, SAR, and hunt and strike capabilities. Technical issues like sensor drift will present challenges as complex non- EO sensors are developed for increasingly smaller UAVs. The electronic payload industry will have ample opportunity to innovate and further improve the performance of UAV systems. As creative ways are developed to expand the roles of these platforms, the blue skies ahead should become increasingly crowded with UAVs. Paul Kruczkowski is editor of RF Globalnet (www.rfglobalnet.com). Before joining RF Globalnet, Paul spent the previous 17 years in RF design, project, and application engineering roles, most recently with Axcera LLC (formerly ITS Corp.). He earned his BSEE degree from the University of Pittsburgh. You can reach him at paul.kruczkowski@rfglobalnet.com.