Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military
The U.S. military operates a vast and growing fleet of unmanned aerial systems.
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The United States military operates a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The military role of these systems has grown at unprecedented rates, with tactical- and theater-level unmanned aircraft alone having flown over 100,000 flight hours in 2005 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Quick Facts
- First armed uav use
- 2001, MQ-1 Predator carrying anti-tank missiles into Afghanistan, controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency
- Cost range
- From a few thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars
- Weight range
- From less than 1 lb (454 g) to over 40,000 lb / 18,144 kg
Facts from the source article.
Background
The modern concept of U.S. military UAVs is to have the various aircraft systems work together in support of personnel on the ground, described in terms of a 'Tier' system used by military planners. The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps each have their own tier systems, which are not integrated. UAVs no longer perform solely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, though these remain predominant; roles have expanded to include electronic attack, drone strikes, suppression or destruction of enemy air defense, network node or communications relay, combat search and rescue, and derivations of these themes.
The first use of armed UAVs was in 2001, when an MQ-1 Predator carried anti-tank missiles into Afghanistan, controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency. Throughout U.S. missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran, rapid improvements in technology enabled steadily increasing capabilities on smaller airframes, contributing to a large increase in the number of unmanned systems deployed on the battlefield. This trend continued following American withdrawals from the Middle East and Central Asia.
The Obama administration announced the deployment of 30,000 new troops in Afghanistan in December 2009, but there was already an increase of attacks by unmanned Predator UAVs against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan's tribal areas. Between 2006 and 2009, UAV-launched missiles allegedly killed between 750 and 1,000 people in Pakistan, of which about 20 were said to be leaders of al-Qaeda, Taliban, and associated groups; 66 to 68 percent of those killed were militants, and 31 to 33 percent were civilians, though U.S. officials disputed the percentage for civilians.
Did You Know?
- As of 2014, the U.S. military operated 7,362 RQ-11 Ravens, 246 MQ-1 Predators, and 126 MQ-9 Reapers among other systems.
- The first UN General Assembly side event on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles was held on 23 October 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the U.S. military first employ an armed UAV in a combat mission?
That milestone came in 2001, when an MQ-1 Predator carrying anti-tank missiles was flown over Afghanistan. Notably, the aircraft was directed by the Central Intelligence Agency rather than a traditional military service.
How many flight hours did U.S. military UAVs log during the early post-9/11 war years?
In 2005, tactical- and theater-level unmanned aircraft alone accumulated more than 100,000 flight hours in support of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Prior to 2006 the Department of Defense did not systematically record these hours, but it now reports that millions of UAV flight hours have been logged since tracking began.
What is the cost range across the U.S. military's UAV systems?
Individual platforms vary from a few thousand dollars for small tactical drones to tens of millions of dollars for large strategic aircraft like the Global Hawk. This spread reflects the wide diversity of missions, from short-range battlefield reconnaissance to long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance.
How many armed strikes did U.S. military UAVs carry out in 2009?
Between January and October 2009, U.S. military unmanned aircraft executed 43 armed strikes. That figure underscores how rapidly UAVs shifted from a purely reconnaissance role to a primary precision-strike asset within just a few years of their introduction.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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