by Spc. Margaret Taylor, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – With the roar of a particularly loud lawnmower, a light gray unmanned aerial vehicle shoots off a launching ramp into the late afternoon sky to patrol around Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, May 2. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year, UAVs like the RQ-7B Shadow collect intelligence and provide security for troops on the ground in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The Shadow is one of several types of UAVs launched from FOB Fenty, and each machine has its own capabilities and uses. Taken together, the fleet provides a vital support package for the entire brigade. “It gives ground commanders a perspective on something they can’t always see from a tactical operations center,” said Spc. Tyler Brewer, unmanned aircraft systems repair and technical inspector, UAS Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, of Eugene, Ore. “It prevents matters from getting worse for Soldiers on the ground.” This is particularly vital as U.S. troops continue to advise and assist their Afghan counterparts with their country’s security. “The main thing to do right now is to provide coverage […]
Unmanned aircraft look to 2014, beyond