US Military Still Buying Chinese-Made Drones Despite Spying Concerns

[pipedreams]

"PENTAGON - The Air Force and the Navy bought Chinese-manufactured drones for elite forces months after the Pentagon prohibited their use due to cybersecurity concerns, according to government documents.

In each case, the services used special exemptions granted by the Pentagon's acquisition and sustainment office "on a case by case basis, to support urgent needs," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews told VOA."

https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-military-still-buying-chinese-made-drones-despite-spying-concerns

 

 

[janice6]

13 hours ago, pipedreams said:

"PENTAGON - The Air Force and the Navy bought Chinese-manufactured drones for elite forces months after the Pentagon prohibited their use due to cybersecurity concerns, according to government documents.

In each case, the services used special exemptions granted by the Pentagon's acquisition and sustainment office "on a case by case basis, to support urgent needs," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews told VOA."

https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-military-still-buying-chinese-made-drones-despite-spying-concerns

 

 

If they buy the aircraft it's no big deal.  It's a big deal if American forces use Chinese sensors and avionics systems, instead of United States military manufacturers.

Most of the U.S. tactical aircraft are sold to foreign countries with limited or no sensor electronics, or advanced avionics. 

[blueiron]

If no American company is willing to make suitable UAVs, what is the DoD to do?

 

[janice6]

19 minutes ago, blueiron said:

If no American company is willing to make suitable UAVs, what is the DoD to do?

 

It is interesting because when I left work to retire, I had an informal proposal to the Navy for my company to start looking harder at UAV's. and contracting for significant increases in functionality. 

Obviously, this would now have to be a total American effort and not involving imports.  This would be no different than how we control our tactical aircraft production now.

One of the biggest problems in the military, and in air arms especially, is having to tell the families when an aviator dies.  No one in the military wants that job, for many obvious reasons, and for the fact that it effects public opinion on how you wage the war or fight the conflict.

Any way, we were unofficially pushing a need to look at UAV for air combat  in addition to existing surveillance roles.

There are many convincing arguments in favor of UAV's.  One is that the aircraft can be smaller, and lighter without the cockpit and environmental support for the pilot.  More room means more weapons, more avionics, more fuel, etc.

Another significant one is that the aircraft can now exceed 9 G's in maneuvering without regard to the pilot's welfare.  It's only limited to the stresses the structure is built to withstand.  Suddenly you can turn inside of the adversary in turns and have a distinct advantage.

Close air support on ground attack can take greater risks for more precise targeting.  If you aren't risking a human life you can be much more aggressive in your tactics.

Another factor is that with large numbers of UAV's in formation it's possible for them to link up and thus make a significant increase in their range by taking advantage of the figuratively larger surfaces involved.

This change is inevitable but to lose the pilot's direct involvement is a significant psychological obstacle.

Mainly the military advantage to a tactical aircraft, aside from an emphasis on training, is in the avionics suite.  These are the sensors, the jammers, the weapons interfaces, the things that when given an equal performance platform in the adversary,  drastically increase the lethality of the airframe. 

So given an experienced pilot remotely located, they would a have far more threat to an adversary than if you had to factor in the safety of the pilot.

But, these are to come and such a major change would also incorporate major changes in digital support hardware and software.  It will surely come, but it will be like pulling teeth to get the pilot out of the aircraft to do it.