• Military
• WMD

• Intelligence Menu               

• Systems
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Imagery
• Links

• Homeland Security
• Space

Unmanned Systems Evolution Discussed at Expeditionary Warfare Conference 2009

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091119-08
Release Date: 11/19/2009 2:41:00 PM

By Dan Broadstreet, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Fla (NNS) -- Navy and Marine Corps leadership addressed "Expeditionary Warfare in a Complex Joint Operating Environment" as the theme of this year's National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Expeditionary Warfare conference held Nov. 16-18 at the Bay Point Marriott Resort Village Golf and Yacht Club.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos made a joint appearance Nov. 18 to speak to a crowd of approximately 650 attendees addressing a variety of topics from the Quadrennial Defense Review to alternate energy sources to the military's increasing use of unmanned systems technologies.

Greenert mentioned how the technological advances of unmanned systems were beginning to play an ever increasing role on domestic shores.

"The role of unmanned systems is evolving to the point where we are now surveying our country's harbors – both our inner harbors and just outside our harbors as well. So I think that when you look at expeditionary warfare and mine warfare, in that regard, that is where unmanned systems can play an extremely significant role," Greenert said.

Greenert emphasized, however, it was important keep humans in the loop when applying unmanned technologies as solutions to mine countermeasures.

"With regard to expeditionary warfare and assessing priority mission requirements, I think having an ability to have remote systems, perhaps autonomous, but certainly remote-controlled – that is where unmanned systems can play a significant role," he said.

Amos added that unmanned systems technology brought added value for the Marines on foreign shores. "One of the things we learned in Iraq was the value of using UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] for intelligence gathering," Amos said, adding that the Marines have begun using super lightweight UAVs.

"We've begun programs for lightweight UAVs where Marines can pull the wings up, put them in their packs and pull them out for use when needed. These systems have a high resolution that comes in on a laptop so the young Marine can see just over the horizon," Amos said.

Amos said that unmanned systems were bringing the Navy and Marines definite benefits, but like Greenert, he stressed the importance of keeping humans in the loop of these technologies.

"I think there will always be a reason to have somebody in there that has to make decisions with regard to positive identification of the target," he said. "But, the resolution we have with the systems available now, being able to look in and seeing precisely what you're looking at – it's there."

Greenert provided a local example of how the Navy was using such modern technology to modularize its expeditionary platforms.

"We are about to bring the Navy a new generation of organic mine countermeasures systems. Right down the road is the mine warfare mission package for our littoral combat ship. We have three separate modular packages designed for this ship: The anti-submarine warfare package, the surface warfare package and the mine warfare package and Panama City's Warfare Center will play a great part in making that happen."

Concluding his remarks during a questions and answers period, Greenert called the littoral combat ship, "a centerpiece of our shipping for the future," which coincided perfectly with the opening remarks Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Commander Capt. Thomas Brovarone used to welcome this year's attendees.

"What we really want to showcase is 'Not what are you doing for me today, but rather what are we planning for you tomorrow," Brovarone said.