Ground rules for air ops

[unhappycamper]

UAV concept of operations
Pact would end years of tension.


Ground rules for air ops
By Kris Osborn and Michael Hoffman - Staff writers
Posted : Monday Sep 29, 2008 7:02:03 EDT

The Army and Air Force are drafting a joint concept of operations for medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles, marking an end to years of tension, service leaders said.

A breakthrough came at a Sept. 8 meeting between three-star generals.

“Right now, we have a joint agreement on unmanned aerial system ConOps, and we’re moving in the right direction,” said Army Lt. Gen. James Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations. Thurman said the deal will be finished in coming months but that the services have agreed on several things, including:

* The Air Force will provide more direct support missions to Army units on the ground with theater-capable assets such as the Predator.

* The Army will better communicate its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance needs. To assist it, the Air Force will place more ISR airmen with ground units, moving them out of the Combined Air Operations Center miles away from the fight.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/09/airforce_army_uav_092908w/%2e