ARMY WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Army, Oct 2007

The UC-35A Cessna Citation Ultra/UC-35B Encore is an efficient medium-range (800-1,800 NM), all-weather airplane that transports commanders and staffs so that they can perform command, liaison, administration and inspection duties. This aircraft is also used for the movement of high-priority personnel and cargo. Eight UC-35s are authorized per theater aviation company.

The C-26 Fairchild Metro Liner was procured as a cost-effective carrier for high-volume travel routes. The aircraft can carry up to 20 passengers or be used for cargo movement.

The Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA) is a new start initiative to replace the C-23. FCA will be a nondevelopmental, strictly commercial off-the-shelf program. The FCA will provide rapid-response cargo transport of soldiers and equipment, airdrop and medical evacuation for cargo weighing up to 18,000 pounds. The FCA will be capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) and also able to operate from unimproved runways.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Army Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) support land warfare operations across the spectrum of conflict. Infantry, scout, intelli- gence, aviation, artillery, maneuver and even medical units benefit from the availability of UAS. Typical missions include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), battle damage assessment, targeting, persistent stare for continued operations, convoy protection and antiambush (improvised explosive device or IED).

The RQ-5A Hunter UAS, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, is the Army's longest-serving UAS, having seen action in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Kosovo. The Army has installed, demonstrated or tested 23 different payloads on the Hunter, making it one of the most versatile UAS in the world. The Hunter air vehicle is a fixed-wing, twin-tail boom aircraft with a dual rudder. The Hunter is capable of 18-hour flight duration with an electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor or eight hours with a 250-pound pay load. The EO/IR-the main payload for the Hunter-is available in both 280 mm and 770 mm focal lengths. Hunter is the only Department of Defense UAS to use a dual-engine system. The MotoGuzzi gasoline engines are being replaced with three-cylinder commercial JP-8 fuel engines.

A wet center-wing capability has been added to the Hunter air vehicle, extending the base Hunter wing span by approximately 60 inches thus increasing lift, rate of climb and service ceiling from 15,000 feet to 18,000 feet mean sea level. The wet wing is equipped with hard points with the capability to carry 130 pounds each, facilitating Hunter weaponization. When the wet wing is not used to carry weapons, it can be loaded with HO liters of fuel to increase air vehicle endurance by six hours.

The RQ-7A Shadow Tactical UAS is a DoD acquisition success story. The Army reduced the period for system design and development to full-rate production decision, including a successful initial operational test and evaluation, OSD (Office of the Secretary of Defense) test and evaluation report, and Joint interoperability certification of the communications in the "one system" ground control station, to just 33 months. The Army's deputy chief of staff G-3 has directed that every maneuver brigade in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) will be equipped with the tactical UAS (TUAS) system. The Shadow is manufactured by AAI Inc.