Saturday, March 20, 2010

New Attitudes about UAVs Shape Army’s Scout Helicopter Program

New Attitudes about UAVs Shape Army’s Scout Helicopter Program: "The Army has tried unsuccessfully for decades to build a new scout helicopter to replace the aging Kiowa Warrior. After canceling two multibillion-dollar helicopter programs, the Army has decided that a conventional rotorcraft is no longer the answer.

The latest plan to replace the Kiowa would involve a mix of new helicopters and unmanned air vehicles. Officials now believe that a manned-unmanned fleet can perform the scout mission more effectively than piloted aircraft alone."