Smart air resupply

Signal, Jul 2003

The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are working together to develop an advanced automated airdrop system capable of putting supplies within 100 meters of a target.

The joint precision airdrop system (JPADS) combines the Army's precision and extended glide airdrop system (PEGASYS) program with the Air Force's precision airdrop system (PADS) program. PEGASYS consists of a canopy decelerator and a global positioning system-directed airborne guidance unit. PADS is a computer system carried aboard cargo aircraft that predicts the release points for unguided parachute systems for high-altitude airdrops. The Air Force equipment uses mission planning and weather forecasting software to plan drops, and it can receive mission changes and weather updates en route via satellite links.

Combining these two capabilities, JPADS is designed to safely deliver supply pallets ranging from 200 pounds to 42,000 pounds close to U.S. forces. Because of its airborne guidance capability, aircraft can accurately drop cargoes from an altitude of 25,000 feet and as far as 12 miles away from the target area. The system will communicate with the individual pallets aboard a C-130 or C-17 transport, potentially redirecting each one to a different drop zone. Although the automated system increases accuracy, program officers note that it does not always guarantee a precise landing. However, it does increase an aircrew's chance for an accurate delivery.

Currently, to provide similar accuracy, cargo must be released from an altitude of 1,500 feet or lower. Even under these circumstances, only the first pallet will land near the target as the aircraft deploys its cargo across a drop zone. Low altitudes also make aircraft vulnerable to attack from shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and anti-aircraft artillery.

JPADS is managed by the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center (www.natick.army.mil), which is scheduled to field an advanced concept technology demonstration of the technology in 2004.