A HIGHER LEVEL OF INTEGRATION


Through Level 4 Manned Unmanned (MUM) Teaming, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) work with attack helicopters such as the Apache Block III attack helicopter, which is engineered with a technology that permits Apache pilots to view feeds from nearby UAS scanning surrounding terrain as well as to control the UAS sensor payload and flight path. Here, the MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS is ready for takeoff Sept. 15, 2011, during the MUM System Integration Capability exercise at Michael Army Airfield, Dugway Proving Ground, UT, where it demonstrated its MUM capabilities. (U.S. Army photo by SPC Latoya Wiggins.)


“an environment of reduced visibility of potentially varying degree,”


said


Layne Merritt, Assistant PEO Aviation for Engineering and Technology, who is tasked with S&T research and man- agement of DVE within Army Aviation.


“Brownouts are just a small part of DVE. We have to address the holistic environ- ment of reduced visibility,” Merritt said.


The DVE system integrates aircraft pilot- age augmentation systems, sensors, fl ight controls, and pilot information or cuing devices. The objective of a DVE system is to expand the range of environments in which the aircraft safely conducts its missions when visibility is limited. “This must be accomplished through a combi- nation of improved situational awareness in limited visibility conditions, enhanced


stability and control of the aircraft in all fl ight regimes, and reduced cogni- tive workloads when task-saturated,” Merritt said.


Through the Project Manager’s Offi ce for Aviation Systems, PEO Aviation is responding to an Urgent Operational Needs Statement and will


launch a


year-long assessment of the Helicop- ter Autonomous Landing System, a 94-gigahertz radar that can see through smoke, sand, dust, and fog. The assess- ment will help to determine a formal program-of-record approach and imple- ment a DVE solution for the entire Army Aviation fl eet.


The Army has allocated $257 million in S&T funding through 2016 to address DVE. Operating in DVE is ranked as


the No. 1 priority in the list of threats, according to Army offi cials. “We’re optimistic in the Army’s support of this effort,” said Merritt.


For more information, see “Read On” on Page 128.


Sofi a Bledsoe, PEO Aviation Public Affairs Offi cer, contributed to this article.


KRIS OSBORN is a Highly Quali-


fi ed Expert for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Offi ce of Strategic Communi- cations. He holds a B.A. in English and political science from Kenyon College and an M.A. in comparative literature from Columbia University.


ASC.ARMY.MIL


127


CONFERENCE CALL


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170