U.S. Navy Drones Provide Singapore Navy with Realistic Training Opportunity
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060608-11
Release Date: 6/8/2006 4:50:00 PM
By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Melinda Larson, Destroyer Squadron 1 Public Affairs
ABOARD USS TORTUGA, South China Sea (NNS) -- The Republic of Singapore navy (RSN) successfully tracked and shot down two moving targets launched from the deck of USS Tortuga (LSD 46) during an aerial drone targeting exercise June 8.
The event was one of many operational evolutions held during the at-sea phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT).
“Simulating a real threat, the drones flew a very challenging profile. The Singapore ship, RSS Vengeance, a missile corvette, had our two targets coming in at a speed of 450 knots,” said Duke Edgington, Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO) targets division mission commander, who is employed by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). “The exercise was a chance for the RSN to evaluate its BARAK weapons system capability of engaging two targets simultaneously.” BARAK is a vertically-launched sea-to-air missile.
It was the first time in CARAT’s 12-year history that this type of dual drone profile was flown, Edgington said. The BQM-74E aerial drones were launched from Tortuga’s deck 15 seconds apart. To give the RSN a look at the presentation, one of the drones, remotely controlled from the deck of Tortuga, was directed to fly past Vengeance on a tracking run.
“The tracking run gave them a chance to see the drone before the firing run. We augmented the drone visually with smoke by spraying oil into the exhaust,” explained Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Lee Crump, leading chief petty officer of Tortuga's avionics division. “At 10 miles out, the drone one made a U-turn, came back to a rendezvous point with the number two drone and then headed back down the range for the firing run.”
Once the two drones rendezvoused at the pre-determined point, drone one remained at an altitude of 1,200 feet to simulate an aircraft. The second drone dropped down to 30 feet to simulate a sea-skimming air-to-surface missile. The drone can fly as low as seven feet above the sea, Crump said.
The 18-man CFAO team set up the drones’ master control console under canopies on Tortuga’s boat deck. Monitoring and directing the drones’ flights, 17 minutes after the drones had been launched a roar of cheers could be heard from the CFAO Targets team as they watched the RSN ship hit both of their targets on the monitoring screens.
“The range situational display gives us the positions of the ships as well as the drones' location, direction and speed,” said Crump, who piloted drone two by remote control.
CFAO Targets division supports both surface and aerial targeting exercises throughout the Pacific theater. The June 8 mission was monitored by a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) fleet liaison.
“Exercises such as CARAT help navies build confidence in one another,” said Lt. Cmdr. Wesley Joshway, NAVAIR’s fleet liaison officer. “It allows our allies to build confidence in their weapons systems, and we gain confidence in their capabilities to maintain weapons proficiencies in the event we have to face a conflict together.”
CFAO Targets division is only one of two U.S. Navy-operated units of its kind, Joshway said.
CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises between the United States and six Southeast Asian nations designed to build relationships and enhance the operational readiness of the participating forces.
Singapore is the first stop for the five-ship-strong CARAT task group led by Capt. Al Collins, commander Destroyer Squadron 1. Besides Tortuga, the other CARAT task group ships are USS Hopper (DDG 70), USS Crommelin (FFG 37), USS Salvor (ARS 52) Coast Guard cutter and USCGC Sherman (WHEC 720).
For more on CARAT, visit www.clwp.navy.mil/carat2006.
For related news, visit the Commander Task Force 73 Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/clwp/.
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