The US Marine Corps has decided to experiment with arming the AAI RQ-7 Shadow, in a move that could lead to adding hundreds of unmanned air systems (UAS) to the weaponized fleet.
The Marines recently received clearance from policymakers to arm the RQ-7, said Col. Jim Rector, program manager for the Naval Air Systems Command's small tactical (STUAS) office. There had been questions about whether the normally catapult-launched RQ-7 would violate a nuclear nonproliferation treaty, but those were overcome, he added.
The Marines will now perform field trials of an army RQ-7 with a precision munition selected by AAI, Rector said. The Marines are not specifying the munition for the experiment, but are requiring that AAI select a weapon that is ready to enter production with no additional development, he said.
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If the experiment is successful, the next step would be to extend the evaluation into the deployed environment. Rector said the operational trial could be conducted in Afghanistan or at a predeployment readiness exercise called "Mojave Viper."
The entire evaluation process is likely to take 18-24 months, he said.
The trial means the RQ-7 could join the ranks of weaponized UAS, which already include the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-1B, MQ-1C and MQ-9.
The US Army also has hundreds of RQ-7s, but has chosen to let the Marines take the lead on weaponization of UAS below the MQ-1 class.
Rector also said the Insitu RQ-21 Integrator is designed with hard points to carry weapons, but there is no requirement so far to arm the future STUAS fleet.
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Source: Flight Daily News
