Sunday, May 19, 2013

Weekly Alert -- May 14, 2013

UCAS-D flies from a carrier, plus news on X-51A, Gray Eagle and more. Read the Alert

Latest News

USAF Cost Comparison Favors RQ-4, Highlights U-2 Sensor Capabilities

A recently released Air Force report shows that it is less expensive for the service to conduct a variety of high-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance missions using the RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk aircraft than using the U-2 spy plane.

Congress Encourages Defense Secretary To Squash USAF RQ-4 Plan

Two powerful lawmakers are asking Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to join them in their effort to block an Air Force plan to obtain "relief" from a congressional mandate that would require the purchase of three RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft.

Air Force Pulls Plug On Gorgon Stare Funds, May Freeze Increment 2 Pods

The Air Force wants to empty its Gorgon Stare accounts and freeze the production requirements of the sensor program in order to save upwards of $56 million and spend that money on other "critical" needs.

Other News
Featured Story

DOD, Industry Weigh-In During Privacy Policy Forum On UAS Integration

Defense Department employees, industry officials and average citizens aired their grievances with the Federal Aviation Administration during a privacy policy public engagement session last month on the agency's effort to establish six test-sites where unmanned aircraft will be integrated into the national airspace.

Latest Documents
Free Trial

Sign up for one month of free, no-obligation access to Unmanned Systems Alert.

Form for a free trial
About Unmanned Systems Alert

InsideDefense.com's Unmanned Systems Alert is the only independent news source covering the U.S. military's growing complement of unmanned systems. Tapping the editorial excellence of Inside the Pentagon, Inside the Air Force, Inside the Army, Inside the Navy and InsideDefense.com, our Unmanned Systems Alert keeps readers up to speed on unmanned aerial, ground and undersea systems, budgets, policies and more. Read more about Unmanned Systems Alert

Editorial Contact

Dan Dupont
703-562-8729
ddupont@iwpnews.com

Subscriptions

One-year subscriptions to Unmanned Systems Alert start at just $300 per person, and economical site licenses are available for larger groups. To subscribe, or for more information, e-mail us at insidedefense@iwpnews.com, or call our customer service department at 703-416-8505.