Pakistan to get US Drones

Written by Fakhrul Islam

​Pakistan is going to get Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Scan Eagle from United States. In the month of October 2015 the government of United States has approved supply of short-range, unarmed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Scan Eagle to help Pakistan in intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capability in its counter-terrorism operations... ...

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​According to reports, hardware and technical data will be delivered to Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program by August 2016. It was further reported that 90% of the work will be carried out in the USA and the remaining 10% in Pakistan. Pakistan will receive Scan Eagle system through a deal worth $10.52 million.

​Scan Eagle is an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), part of Scan Eagle® Unmanned Aircraft Systems, developed and built by Boeing and its subsidiary, Insitu Inc. The UAV is based on Insitu’s Sea Scan miniature robotic aircraft developed for the commercial fishing industry.

​Scan Eagle carries either an electro-optical or an infrared camera in a gyro-stabilized turret. The camera has full pan, tilt and zoom capabilities and allows the operator to track both stationary and moving targets. Scan Eagle vehicles can operate individually or in groups, fly above 16,000 feet (4876 meters) and loiter over a battlefield for more than 24 hours. The 4-foot-long (1.2-meter-long) Scan Eagle UAV has a 10-foot (3-meter) wingspan and can operate in high winds and heavy rains. Its internal avionics bay allows integration of new payloads and sensors and ensures the vehicle will be able to incorporate new technology as it becomes available.

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​Scan Eagle 2, announced in October 2014, includes upgrades such as expanded payload options; an improved, purpose-built propulsion system; a fully digital video system for improved image quality; reduced electronic magnetic interference environment; and an improved navigation system.

​Scan Eagle is launched autonomously by a catapult launcher and flies preprogrammed or operator-initiated missions. A patented Skyhook® system is used for retrieval. The hook catches the aircraft’s wingtip with a rope that hangs from a 50-foot-high (15–meter-high) boom.

​The prototype Scan Eagle made its first flight in 2002. In August 2003, Scan Eagle A demonstrated its long-endurance capability with a 15.2-hour flight at the Boeing Boardman test range in Oregon. The flight was also the first time the test team put two UAVs in the air simultaneously. The first Scan Eagle monitored the second, sending real-time video to the ground station. During the exercise, Scan Eagle served as a multi-path data link simultaneously provided real-time video to a number of the participants.

​In 2004, Scan Eagle was deployed to Iraq with the First Marine Expeditionary Force, operating as a forward observer to monitor enemy concentrations, vehicle and personnel movement, buildings and terrain. In April 2005, the U.S. Navy signed a $14.5 million contract with Boeing and Insitu to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage during Naval Expeditionary Strike Group missions and security for oil platforms in the Persian Gulf. In September of the same year, the Navy awarded a $13 million contract modification to provide Scan Eagle system support for Navy high-speed vessels and an afloat forward staging base.

​International customers include the military forces of Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom.

​By 2014, Scan Eagle had flown more than 800,000 combat flight-hours over land and sea, and it was estimated that at any given time, an average of 17 Scan Eagle aircraft were in flight around the world.

Scan Eagle System
Performance, meet practicality

​Agile, virtually undetectable and on station until the job is done, hardworking Scan Eagle delivers persistent imagery on land or at sea at a fraction of the cost of other surveillance methods. The aircraft’s superior live video feeds keep you one step ahead of the situation, whether your mission is agricultural assessment or force protection. And because no nets or runway are required, you can keep your footprint small, even when the stakes are big.

[Compiled By Fakhrul Islam. Source: Daily The Nation, Boeing]

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