U.S.
unique operations Long Endurance Aircraft (LEA) security drones, which are based upon a popular civilian powered glider style, are set to get the ability to release smaller uncrewed aerial systems.
An air-launched drone capability is a substantial force multiplier for the ultra-quiet LEAs, with their harmless outside look, that opens up the possibility of using them in new methods, consisting of utilizing them to perform kinetic strikes.U.S.
Unique Operations Commands (SOCOM) portion of the Pentagons recently launched budget request for the 2026 Fiscal Year includes an update on prepare for the LEA fleet.
SOCOM is not asking for any extra money for the LEA program in the upcoming financial cycle and is also axing deal with a successor LEA UAS Next Generation drone.The plan now, instead, is to straighten formerly requested FY 2025 funding from LEA UAS Next Generation aircraft advancement to Long Endurance Aircraft (LEA) UAS Payload Prototypes and Integration to obtain and integrate Air Launched Effects (ALE) payloads and an interaction system upgrade to the existing LEA platform, according to the SOCOM budget plan documents.In a low-intensity context, ALEs could boost the LEAs existing abilities by extending its sensor reach without having to straight fly over the target area, more lowering the possibility of being discovered and otherwise being vulnerable to enemy action.
With their discreet appearance and very peaceful nature, the LEAs are currently ideal platforms for consistent monitoring in liberal environments, where they can help to establish the so-called patterns of life of specific individuals or little groups.Its likewise worth noting here that there have been a number of other ultra-quiet and long-endurance drone programs recently.
This includes the Air ForcesUnmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft(ULTRA), a design extremely broadly comparable to the LEA based upon a business sport glider, and that has actually also been utilized in operations in the Middle East and apparently over Afghanistan.There are also efforts more customized to operations in higher-threat environments, like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPA) XRQ-73ASeries Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration(SHEPARD) project and the Air Forces GHOST program.The XRQ-73A design evolved directly from an earlier drone called theXRQ-72A Great Horned Owlthat the U.S.
Intelligence Community established in cooperation with the Air Force.Source: The War Zone