UNMANNED AERIAL VEffiCLES
IN DESERT ~SfflELD/STORM
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) performed superbly during DESERT
SHIELD/STORM. Their uses included targeting, "real time" battle damage assessment,
artillery and naval gunfire adjustment, reconnaissance and advanced warning, and
cot~rdination of ground and air operations. UAVs elicited very positive feedback from
DESERT STORM commanders.
UAV Data
522 Sorties/i 641 hours flown (at least 1 UAV airborne at all times durii~g DESERT STORM):
Unit Sorties Hours
~N~ay~~
VC.6 Det 1 (USS WISCONSIN) 100 342.9
(Embarked 7 Aug 90)
VC-6 Det 2 (USS MISSOURI) 64 209.7
(Embarked 3 Nov 90)
Marine Corps
1st RPVCO 94 330.3
(Commenced ops 26 Sep 90)
2nd RPVCO 69 CIhru 1 Mar) 226.6
(Commenced ops 27 Nov 90)
3rd RPVCO 147 (mru 24 Feb) 380.6
Army
USA UAVPLT 48 150.8
(Commenced ops 1 Feb 91)
Total 522 1640.9
12 UAVs destroyed:
- 1 hostile fire
- 3 electromagnetic interference (EMI)
- 2 operator error
- 6 engine/general/airframe failure
11 U~~Vs damaged during DESERT STORM (repairable):
- 2EMI
- 6 operator error
- 3 engine/general failure
3 UAVs suffered minor damage due to small arms fire.
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