Mil-Tech

On the Borders — From 8,000 Miles Away

Machines are changing the face of battle: Robots and unmanned aircraft have made engaging a target much safer and far more efficient. But is there a danger in relying too much on technology?

A mockup of Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance System RQ-4 Global Hawk is on display during a press briefing of the plane at a public exhibition hall in Tokyo, Wednesday, March 24, 2010. The Global Hawk can fly at altitudes of more than 60,000 feet for more than 32 hours and send near real-time reconnaissance imagery and signals intelligence data to forces in the air, on the ground and at sea.

Machines are changing the face of battle: Robots and unmanned aircraft have made engaging a target much safer and far more efficient. But is there a danger in relying too much on technology?

The success of drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan has battered Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Since January 2009 they have killed between 400 and 500 militants. These strikes are reported to come from unmanned aircraft (often called drones), which may lead you to believe that nobody’s behind the wheel. You couldn’t be more wrong.

While filming “War Stories with Oliver North: High Tech Warriors on the Battlefield,” which airs Sunday, April 11 at 9 p.m. on Fox News, I was given the opportunity to travel to Creech Air Force base in Nevada with Oliver North and co-producer Steven Tierney.

Creech is one of a number of bases in the United States flying missions in Afghanistan and around the world. While there, we got to meet the people behind the drone missions — and wow are there a lot of them. Like most people, I didn’t realize how many personnel it actually takes to fly and upkeep these planes.

Our picks of the best images of the military in action, highlighting the technology that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines deal with every day.

Unmanned drones get more sophisticated with each generation — faster, stronger, smarter. Here’s the current crew of killer and recon drones, and a few from the future.

We spoke with Col. Peter Gersten, the 432nd wing commander for operations at Creech. When asked about unmanned aircraft Gersten bristled. He calls them RPAs, or remotely piloted aircraft.

“It’s not a drone, it doesn’t fly by itself,” he pointed out. “I get a little concerned because of the amount of manpower that it actually takes to operate the system … you’re looking at somewhere around 50 Air Force individuals. Any given time for a 24-hour period, it’ll take around five to seven crews, and a crew consists of three people, a pilot, a sensor operator, and a mission intelligence coordinator. So there’s 30 people right there. Then you strap on the maintenance portion of that — another 20 to 30 maintainers that keep that aircraft going — and right away you’re at 50.”

Clearly, it’s not as simple as pushing a button and letting the plane go on its way. Call them UAVs or RPAs, it still takes a group of very dedicated and talented people to execute high priority missions all over the world with the aircraft.

During this visit, we were given access to a classified area we could observe but not film. A dark room full of screens with computers lining the walls, it’s where the intelligence gathered from the planes is analyzed. That information is distributed in order to build intelligence, make surveillance and reconnaissance more effective for the soldiers on the ground, and help save lives.

Creech maintains operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and everyone takes the job very seriously. They realizes that the analysis they do today is critical to the men and women on the ground tomorrow over 8,000 miles away.

While at Creech, I wondered how this type of warfare was changing the way we think about combat. Unlike the soldiers in the field, these airmen could go home to their families after their 8-hour shift ends. But they are very much affected by what they see and hear during a mission.

“There have been a couple of times where we’ve been supporting the ground units, and able to hear what they’re saying, especially when we get in times of trouble,” reminisced sensor operator Tech Sgt. Jarrett Miner. “I suppose I do think about that a little bit, that I get to go home and sleep in my own bed at night. And they’re out there doing their job.”

They may go home after a shift, but the job these airmen perform is invaluable and in no way taken lightly. Mission Coordinator Staff Sgt. James informed that as soon as he steps onto the base, things change.

“As soon as you cross over what we call the cheese graters on base, the bumps in the road, your mindset is completely different from when you were just at home. You’re going to combat. You’re watching what they see eighteen inches from the battlefield. And it’s just an incredible experience overall.”

No matter how far away from the actual battlefield these men and women are, the endurance and talent of these remote warriors is on display every day. Their mission is to help save the lives of our troops on the ground, and no one can dispute their importance and commitment to fighting this war on terror.

TS2 Satellite Technologies

TS 2 is the prime Internet Provider for US Army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of all active customers are Polish and US Army soldiers, but TS 2 solutions have been implemented also for private companies and organizations. TS 2′ network in Iraq and Afghanistan has over 15 thousand military users of local broadband satellite connections.

TS 2 specializes in providing global satellite access services. They core business is broadband access to the Internet in areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure and mobile satellite phones communication. The main medium of used transmission is a two-way satellite transfer system, which provides good access to the satellite network in even the least accessible areas. It not only provides a broadband connection but also a wide range of additional data and voice services.

TS2’s satellite networks are available in Al Taqaddum Air Base, Bagram AF, Balad Base, Baquba Airfield, Brassfield-Mora, Cob Adder, Cob Speicher, Camp Al Asad Airbase, Camp Bucca Basra City, Camp Buehring, Camp Charlie Basra, Camp Eggers, Camp Fallujah, Camp Grizzly, Camp Korean Village, Camp Liberty, Camp Mejid, Camp Ramadi, Camp Slayer, Camp Stryker, Camp Taji, Camp Victory, Fob Bagram, Fob Brassfield Mora, Fob Delta Al Kut, Fob Diamondback, Fob Falcon, Fob Garryowen, Fob Gardez, Fob Ghazni, Fob Kalagush, Fob Kandahar, Fob Lagman, Fob Mchenry, Fob Marez, Fob Normandy, Fob Rustamiyah, Fob Summerall, Fob Sykes, Fob Salerno, Fob Torkham, Fob Warhorse, Fob Warrior, Herat RTC, Jallaabad Air Base, Kabul Airport, Kabul Camp Eggers, Kandahar Air Base, Lsa Anaconda Balad, Sather Air Base, Q-West Base Complex and Tallil Ab Lsa Adder. [2]

TS2 delivers telecommunication services also for Police Transition Teams in following locations: West Ramadi, Warrar, Tal-Aswad, Saqlawiyah / Saqlawiah, Rutbah, Rumanah, Ramadi District HQ, Qatanna, Mulaab, Kubaisa, Khaladiah, Karmah, Jazeera, Hit, Haqlaniyah, Hamdiyah, Habbaniyah, Forsan, Ferris, East Ramadi, Barwannah, Anah, Ameriayah and Al Qaim. [3]

Military customers in Iraq and Afghanistan

Before end of 2007 year, the TS 2 solutions have been implemented for e.g. US Marine Corps (USMC), US Army Corps of Engineers, Australian Defence Force (ADF), Command of Polish Navy, Special Military Formation GROM, 1st Special Commando Regiment, Polish National Police, Polish National Headquarters of the State Fire Services, Border Guard (Poland), World Bank Group, Lockheed Martin Information Technology, Halliburton Energy Services, KBR, General Dynamics Information Technology, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, US Naval Research Laboratory, ITT Corporation Aerospace / Communications Division, Technest Holdings / EOIR Technologies, North Eastern Aeronautical Company (Neany), EchoStorm Worldwide, Jorge Scientific Corporation, Erinys International, Aegis Iraq, American Heart of Poland and more others.

TS2′s military services are used by soldiers from 1 BCT 101 ABN DIV, 1-151 CAV HHT, 1-161st FA A-BTRY, 1-206 Field Artillery Battalion, 1-25 SBCT, 1-5 INF B Co, 1-61 CAV SQDN, 1-76 FA, 1/402nd AFSB STRYKER LNO, 1038th HCC, 10TH MTN DIV, 1710 Transpotation company, 184th Ordnance Battalion, 189 CSSB, 18th EN BDE, 1AD 2BCT / TF 1-35 AR, 1AD STB/Datapath, 1BCT, 1STB 1BCT 4ID, 1st BCT 101st Airborne Div., 1st Intel Bn P&A Co AFP, 1st PLT C Co 3-21 IN, 1st Space BDE / MNC-I, 2 BCT 1ID JSS H2, 2/25 DET 1 WPNS CO MAP 3, 2/25 Det 1 H&S Comm Plt, 201st Engineer Bn., 215th ASMC Phipps Clinic, 259 CSSB 155 ICTC, 25th Signal BN, 269 TH MP CO, 269th MP CO, 27th BCT, 3/10 MPCO, 3/4 WPNS CAAT-2, 324 NSC, 330th Military Police Detachment, 345th MI BN, 351st MP CO, 368th Finance DET 4, 370th En Co 54th En Bn, 3ACR, 3D RADIO BN, 401st AFSB MRAP, 41st Fires BDE, 455 EOG/ Spawar/ ATM, 4ID, 4SB 1BCT 4ID, 4th BAT. 101st AB, 4th BCT, 504th MP BN, 527th MP CO, 527th Military Police Company, 542nd SMC, 55th EN CO, 561 MT company, 589th BSB, 58th mp co 1st plt, 5th ANGLICO HQ Det/1st BDE, 5th EN BN, 5th Eng Bn, 6-17 CAV 1-1 ARB, 715th MP CO, 752nd OD CO, 772 Military Police Company, 776 Maintenance Co., 812th MP CO, 836th Engineer Company Sapper, 84th EN BN 643 EN CO, 84th Eng Bn 643rd En Bn, 87th Eng Co, 926th EN BDE, 937th Engineer Company, 97th Trans Det 3, A 2-20 FA, A CO 1-5 IN REGT, A TRP 1-152 CAV, A co. 4SB, A-4/320th, A-BRTY 2-44 ADA, A-CO 1-21 INF, A/2-211 AVIATION, A/CO 1/21, ACO TF 1/35 AR, ALPHA TROOP 1-152, Aco 1-153 INF, Alpha Company, B 4-320th FA, B Btry 3-4 AMD Battalion, B CO Task Force Odin, B CO. Bldg 3455/CH, B Co 1-6 IN, B Co 2-112th, B Co 2-4 GSAB, B Co. Bldg 3455 / CH, B Co. Bldg 3510 / CH, B Company 1-18 Infantry, B co 1-35AR, B co 2-6 IN, B co 563D ASB, B co. 404 ASB CAB 4ID, Bco 1-184 IN L, Bco 1-21, Bco. 2-4 GSAB CAB 4ID, Bco.404 ASB, Bravo Co. 1-184th, Bravo co. 3-159 ARB, C 1/158 fa bn, C BTRY 2-5 FA, C Btry 2-8 FA 1/25 SBCT, C Co 1-12 CAV 1CD, C Co 1-24 IN, C Co. 1/168th GSAB, C Co. 4-4 ARB, C co. 4-4 ARB CAB 4ID, C trp 1-303d Cav 81st hbct, C-Btry 1/158 FA, C/Trp 6-17 CAV, CAB 4ID, CAB 4th ID, CAFFT TAJI, CAV. 2nd PLATOON, CJTF-101 CJ3 Biometrics, CSTC-A CJ6 CSC, Co. B 146 ESB, D Co 2-27 IN/ 3rd PLT, D Co. 2-327 Inf., D. Co. 1/114th INF, D/123 AVN 6-17 CAV, Delta Company 1-151, Delta Company 1-151 Warlords, Delta Troop 7-17 CAV, E CO 3-1 AVN REGT, E Co. 1-161IN, E. CO 1-66 AR, E/FSC 1-22IN 1BCT 4ID, EOD Company 1/3, F Co. 2-10 AVN, GLS/L-3/Titan, HHB 1/6 FA, HHB 2-20 FA BN, HHC 1-24 IN, HHC 1-87 INF, HHC 2-7 CAV 4 BCT 1 CD, HHC 2/327 INF Olsen Medics, HHC 25th STB 25ID G2, HHC 3-103 AR, HHC 3/2 SCR LST, HHC 51st Signal Battalion, HHC 56 SBCT, HHC 5th Engineer Battalion, HHC 710 BSB 3BCT, HHC 783rd MP BN, HHC 84th Engineers Battalion, HHC 949 BSB, HHC BTB, HQs/ 561st MP Company, HSC 834TH ASB, JCCS-1, JTF Paladin / COIC, KAF NSE Force Protection 1 Platoon, KAIA ISAF Kabul Afghanistan, KBR B4 Services, KBR/LSI C7A McHenry, L-3 Communications Iraq, L3 Vertex Aerospace Iraq, L3/GSI, NSWLOGDET TQ US NAVY, PM BIOMETRICS FWD/BAT, TF 5-09 Canadian Forces, TF Centaur, TF Fighting, TF Phoenix, Task Force 1-6 S6, Task Force ODIN, Task Force Wings and USAF FET in FOB Salerno. [5]

TS2 will provide satellite services for the Marines new bases in Afghanistan in first months of 2009 year. The government contract concerns establishing and maintaining full communication in new locations for two years for all soldiers stationed there. The USA are going to transfer 4.5 thousand Marines from Iraq to Afghanistan as early as at the beginning of 2009.