TESTIMONY
OF
LIEUTENANT GENERAL WALTER E. BUCHANAN III
COMMANDER
UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND AIR FORCES
COMMANDER
NINTH AIR FORCE
BEFORE THE
HOUSE
ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TACTICAL AIR AND LAND FORCES
REGARDING
UNMANNED COMBAT AIR VEHICLE (UCAV) AND
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV)
March
17, 2004
Chairman
Weldon, Congressman Abercrombie, and
distinguished members of the committee,
thank you for this opportunity to present
the war fighter's viewpoint on the use of
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in support
of military operations in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
As the
commander of United States Central Command
Air Forces (CENTAF) and Gen Abizaid's
Combined Forces Air Component Commander (CFACC),
I am intimately familiar with the
contributions and limitations of our UAV
force in support of our operations in
Afghanistan and Iraq. As we speak, UAVs are
loitering over hostile territory gathering
intelligence and tracking targets in support
of our ground forces and operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
From my
early days as the last Joint Task
Force-Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) Commander and
Gen Moseley's deputy forward in the United
States Central Command (CENTCOM) area of
operations, I have seen a significant
evolution in the employment of our
operational UAV force. It has been only
because of the outstanding support and
attention from members of Congress that we
have been able to evolve our UAV force from
one that was principally an intelligence
collections platform in Bosnia to one that
today has a very potent air to ground
capability. Congress continues to support us
by placing emphasis on spare parts,
maintenance and munitions stockpiles. It is
because of your assistance that we remain
the most highly trained and capable Air
Force in the world. Throughout my time in
the CENTCOM area of operations, I cannot
tell you how extremely proud I am to work
alongside the men and women from all
services and our coalition partners,
supporting the best Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen, and Marines in the world.
UAV OVERVIEW
As the
CFACC for CENTCOM, I have control and
direction over aircraft, including UAVs,
across the Area of Responsibility (AOR)
operating at the operational level - that
is, air platforms that provide direct
support to the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF)
commanders. UAVs with less range, compared
to the Predator, are operated and directed
at the tactical level. As you are well
aware, more than ten different types of UAVs
are currently employed in theater, from
tactical systems such as the US Army's
Hunter and USAF's Desert Hawk to operational
systems able to range the full depth and
breadth of the battlespace such as the
USAF's Predator and Global Hawk.
Doctrinally, CENTCOM employs UAVs in a
layered approach across the battlefield with
shorter range, tactical systems in direct
support of deployed units while more
flexible, longer range systems are used to
range the theater in general support
responding to priorities set by CENTCOM and
the supported joint task force commanders.
As the tactical UAVs are not normally under
my control either as the CFACC or Commander
of Air Force Forces, I will focus my remarks
at the operational level except for the one
small UAV which I do control, which is the
USAF's Force Protection Airborne
Surveillance System (FPASS), Desert Hawk. I
will then move to the operational level and
discuss the RQ and MQ-1 Predator and the
Global Hawk.
The
FPASS/Desert Hawk provides real-time
overhead imagery to detect and assess
standoff weapons threats, including MANPADs.
We currently have it deployed in both
Afghanistan and Iraq with USAF security
forces (SF) assigned air base ground defense
(ABGD) duties. It is a small aircraft that
is launched via a bungee cord catapult and
glides to a landing when the mission is
over. It's powered by rechargeable batteries
for one to two hours of flight time within a
range of six miles of the operator. It
flies 35 to 50 miles per hour at altitudes
from 200 to 500 feet above ground level and
can be directed by an operator on the ground
or fly a preplanned flight plan. Our SF
troops are currently using the Desert Hawk's
electro-optical and infrared sensors to
provide them "eyes" outside the fence line
around bases in the AOR. This extended look
is helping us leverage air base ground
defense assets in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is an asset whose capability can truly be
leveraged when we partner the Desert Hawk
with our many other ABGD assets such as the
Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense
Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS),
Tactical Automated Security System (TASS),
and Army counter battery radars, to name
just a few.
Probably our most well known
UAV system operating in the CENTCOM AOR is
the RQ/MQ-1 Predator. Predator aircraft are
medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs that I
employ across both theaters in direct
support of CENTCOM and joint task force
commander priority missions. As you know,
the RQ-1 or reconnaissance version is the
earliest version of the Predator. The Air
Force is no longer procuring these and
instead are acquiring the more capable
MQ-1s, and sending our remaining RQ-1s to
Depot to be retrofit into the MQ-1 models.
The MQ-1 combines a more capable sensor ball
with the ability to carry and employ two
Hellfire laser guided missiles. The basic
Predator crew consists of a pilot and sensor
operator. They fly the aircraft from inside
the Ground Control Station (GCS) via a
C-Band line-of-sight data link or a Ku-Band
satellite data link for beyond line-of-sight
flight. It has a color nose camera, a
variable aperture electro-optical camera, a
variable aperture infrared camera and
synthetic aperture radar for looking through
smoke, clouds or haze. That said, the
biggest mission capability that the Predator
provides is its full-motion video (FMV) that
can be streamed to the supported commander,
other aircraft, and even to the Terminal Air
Controller on the ground. As such, it is
very valuable when long loiter surveillance
or target-tracking is required.
In both
Afghanistan and Iraq, the Predator system is
being used to assist the ground commander in
a number of missions. One of the most
visible is its use in the hunting and
targeting of high value targets (HVT). The
Predator gives the commander a persistent
long loiter capability in order to keep
suspected HVT hide-sites under constant
surveillance. Such coverage assists the
ground commander in planning their attack.
Avenues of approach and terrain can be
evaluated and studied right up until the
time of the attack without tipping off the
enemy that they are under surveillance.
During an assault the Predator can provide
positive identification and target tracking,
and help ensure collateral damage criteria
are met. Of note, Predator was directly
overhead providing similar coverage when
Saddam Hussein was captured.
Predator
is also used in its more conventional
intelligence gathering role as it responds
to the requirements of CENTCOM and JTF
collection managers. These requirements are
forwarded to my air component headquarters
or Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in
Qatar. There we incorporate collection
requirements into the air tasking order to
be filled by the most appropriate platform.
In some cases this is a manned system such
as British GR-4 or US F-16 with a
reconnaissance pod, a U-2, or possibly a
Predator.
The
Predator system is also used to coordinate
attacks for other strike aircraft, or even
in the direct attack role employing its
Hellfire missiles. In this role, it is a
very discriminating attack platform with
very lethal but low collateral damage
weapons. As such, it is very useful in
tracking, targeting and engaging targets in
built up areas where the commander is
concerned about collateral damage and
non-combatant injuries.
Another
operational level UAV is the Global Hawk
which provides near-real-time, high
resolution, intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance imagery across the battle
space as well. The Global Hawk cruises at
extremely high altitudes and can survey
large geographic areas with pinpoint
accuracy, providing us up-to-date
information on enemy locations, resources
and personnel, which can be supplied to
ground commanders or used to target the
enemy with available air assets. It has an
electro optical/infrared sensor and
synthetic aperture radar with a ground and
moving target indicator which made it very
effective during the dust storms that
limited visibility during the march north to
Baghdad in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES -
OEF
On
October 7, 2001, UAVs were used to highlight
targets as we kicked off Operation ENDURING
FREEDOM in Afghanistan. From moment one, the
UAV was employed to provide the ground
commander with information and imagery that
allowed forces on the ground to move swiftly
and accomplish their mission. As of today
we've been conducting combat operations in
Afghanistan for the last 892 days. The
platform has proven to be an invaluable
asset to the war fighter and has been
instrumental in transforming how we think
about UAVs within the Air Force and how the
Combatant Commander can use them in his
arsenal of weapons. With its outstanding
loiter time, Predators have been able to
establish a nearly continuous presence
overhead the battlefield providing the
commander real-time imagery and full-motion
video of combat operations as the battle
shifted from house to house, hut to hut, and
cave to cave. UAVs have been critical in our
efforts to track remaining Taliban
operatives, and in assisting coalition
ground forces during their raids to rout out
the Taliban and al Qaida enemy forces.
As you
are aware, our operations in Afghanistan are
ongoing. There are still pockets of the
Taliban harassing innocent Afghani citizens
and attacking U.S., NATO and coalition
troops, as well as humanitarian aid workers
and others assisting in the reconstruction
of Afghanistan. We routinely monitor the
central regions of Afghanistan with every
platform we can bring to bear, including the
Predator, U2, JSTARS, national systems, and
manned aircraft such as A-10 fighters
equipped with LITENING electro-optical and
infrared sensor pods.
SOUTHERN WATCH TO IRAQI
FREEDOM
Even
before Afghanistan, we have been heavily
engaged in Iraq. For more than 10 years
coalition partners flew thousands of sorties
patrolling the Southern No Fly Zone. During
this time, UAVs were used as a part of the
team, but the way we employed them was as a
stand-alone platform. At that time, we only
flew the reconnaissance RQ-1 version of the
Predator. Our fighters, bombers, tankers and
other intelligence gathering assets flew as
an integrated package while our Predators
and other UAVs operated independently. Over
time, we began to integrate our UAV forces
into our flight packages. By the time we
were ready to conduct Iraqi Freedom
operations, our Predators were considered
not only a valuable part of our integrated
strike packages but our bravest wingman as
well. During my time as the JTF-SWA
commander, I saw the Predators used not only
in their traditional reconnaissance role,
but also in their direct attack and forward
air controller role as we prosecuted time
sensitive targets. They were invaluable in
finding and tracking dynamic, moving targets
and provided us last minute, real time
targeting data that we might otherwise not
have had. Predators and other intelligence
platforms again showed their value as they
enabled us to destroy critical information
and command and control nodes prior to IRAQI
FREEDOM. As we expanded the mission
capabilities of UAVs, we've witnessed the
evolution to using them armed with missiles
as air-to-ground platforms and even with a
limited air-to-air self-defense capability.
Prior to
launching the first weapons to rid Iraq of
Saddam Hussein, Predators flew above Baghdad
gathering data, monitoring HVTs and
providing us real-time intelligence
information.
Our UAVs
leveraged the ability of other Air Force
assets to attack key Iraqi command and
control facilities and leadership targets.
As General Moseley said, we were the hammer
to the ground forces anvil. As the ground
component marched toward Baghdad, our UAV
force provided critical real-time targeting
data to air and ground commanders, allowing
Coalition Air Forces to lay waste to sizable
units in the way of our ground forces,
insuring an expeditious march to the
capital. We were simultaneously destroying
fielded forces, command and control centers,
supporting our special operations forces and
ensuring that we gained and maintained air
superiority and supremacy. We were
successful in meeting and surpassing our
goals, and 21 days later Baghdad fell into
Coalition hands. Five days later the last of
the remaining holdout cities capitulated.
Today is
day 364 of continuous combat in Iraq. During
the last year we have witnessed many
insurgents operating in Iraq, placing
improvised exploding devices, firing mortars
and attacking coalition troops on the
ground. Using the Predator we've been able
to thwart several attacks. On December 29,
2003, Forward Operating Base St. Mere came
under mortar attack. The 3rd BCT
Fire Support Element counter-battery radar
fixed the point of origin and within 20
seconds the point of origin was passed from
the air liaison officer to the MQ-1 crew.
Eighty-five seconds after the attack, the
MQ-1 had located and was tracking two
vehicles fleeing the point of origin at a
high rate of speed. The MQ-1 was directed to
follow the southern-most vehicle, as a quick
response force was assembled. Forty-five
minutes into the engagement, the quick
response force from the 82nd
Airborne apprehended the subjects that were
tracked by the MQ-1. There are countless
vignettes of this type of joint coordination
and critical support that the UAVs provide
the ground commander.
WHERE WE ARE NOW
Historically, from 1995 to 2001, the
Predator was employed solely as an
Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR) asset. Since then, we
have made enormous strides transforming the
Predator into a true Counterland weapons
system capable of affecting the entire
battle space. The Predator can execute and
switch quickly among any role in the Find,
Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess
(F2T2EA) kill chain. The Predator's long
endurance also allows me to combine several
of these missions within a single sortie.
Recently, we have employed Predators in the
following roles:
-
Traditional ISR collection
- performing intelligence preparation of
the battlespace (IPB) collection
-
High Value Targeting (HVT)
- e.g. participating in the capture of
Saddam Hussein
-
Interdiction - e.g.
destroying "Baghdad Bob's" transmitting
antenna in downtown Baghdad with a
hellfire missile
-
Close Air Support - e.g.
coordinating and then firing a hellfire
missile at Taliban forces 50 meters from a
AF combat controller at the "Battle for
Robert's Ridge" and helping to turn the
tide in that struggle
-
Force Protection - flying
armed escort supporting route
reconnaissance and protection for friendly
helicopters
-
MANPAD/counter-mortar
suppression - e.g. providing long dwell
survielance overhead an area and then
successfully tracking vehicles leaving the
scene of a mortar attack and aiding the
Army's quick reaction force in the
apprehension of the suspects
-
Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR)
- participated in the PFC Jessica Lynch
rescue
-
SOF infiltration and
exfiltration - e.g. discovering a
compromised SOF infiltration landing zone
(LZ) and executed a real-time divert to a
new LZ (surveyed by the same Predator) and
ensuring the safe accomplishment of the
mission
-
Battle Damage Assessment -
e.g. providing a near real-time weapons
effects coverage of destroyed targets
You and
I can be very proud of the efforts of our
Predator force. Based at Nellis AFB in
Nevada, the 11th, 15th,
and 17th Reconnaissance Squadrons
(RS) deserve all of the credit. The 11 RS is
tasked with training all of the pilots and
sensor operators who have made this system
what it is today. The 15 RS and 17 RS are
the operational units that employ the system
in theater. The 15 RS is totally committed
to supporting the theater CENTCOM mission
while the 17 RS is equally as committed
supporting other government agencies. The
15 RS has been operating theater UAVs 24
hours a day without a scheduled down day
since May of 2003. They are proud units and
wishing to do more. Unfortunately, there are
limits to their capabilities. More aircraft
help us manage their maintenance, but do not
affect the number of Predators we can fly at
any given time. More ground control stations
would be helpful, and the system is trying
to produce more. But even if we had more
ground control stations and aircraft, we
would not be able to employ them without
more pilots and sensor operators. The 11 RS
is currently training at full capacity with
its limited assets available. The Air Force
is constantly striving to maximize combat
operations while keeping the training
pipeline flowing.
We have
sited and centrally located our Predator
flight operations to Nellis Air Force Base
where we are sustaining 24-hour a day,
seven-days a week operations in support of
CENTCOM. While the 15 RS may be in Nevada,
it reports to me as the CENTAF commander. By
employing satellite control and co-locating
our pool of pilots and sensor operators, we
have been able to range a larger area of
operations, shift orbits between Afghanistan
and Iraq, and better manage our pilot/sensor
operator force.
We
continue to leverage our Predator fleet. I
recently moved our Predator operations in
Iraq from Tallil AB, Iraq, to a more
centrally located base. This move has
reduced our transit time to the target area
and also allowed us to leverage the line of
sight capability of the launch and recovery
unit to fly LOS missions in addition to the
"remote split operation" flights we operate
via satellite from Nellis AFB.
We
continue to look for better ways to employ
the Predator in support of the ground force
and coalition soldiers. Of particular note,
this past December we began deploying
Receive Only Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER)
in theater. These allow us to truly exploit
overhead sensors by allowing us to stream
Predator and other sensor video directly to
a unit collocated with the supported ground
unit. The ROVER systems are being deployed
with special operations forces and AF
Tactical Air Control personnel operating
with and along side the supported ground
force. We currently have every available
system in theater and have firm orders in to
double this vital capability as soon as
possible.
CONCLUSION
As a
supporting commander, my goal is to ensure
our ground forces have all of the support
they need to be able to safely execute their
mission. I am bringing every asset to bear
to assist the daily fight going on at ground
level. In addition to the traditional
airpower missions, we are taking every
system we have and finding any and every way
we can to use it to support the ground
force. The effectiveness of UAVs as
surveillance systems is unmatched, and has
had great effect in both theaters of
operation; however there are many other
airframes and systems we have employed to
provide additional support to the ground
commander. Despite being designed to target
laser guided bombs, in both Afghanistan and
Iraq we are employing the targeting pods on
F-15s, F-16s, A-10s and the B-52 to provide
the pilot with high-resolution video of
ground targets, allowing us to use these
airframes in non-traditional ISR roles for
increased coverage of the battlefield. We
have tracked and mapped out many of the
vulnerable main supply routes (MSRs),
pipelines, and power lines and daily task
our crews and UAVs to survey them for
suspicious activity. If we see any, we then
take a closer look and coordinate with the
ground force commander. For example, we
recently found suspicious personnel along an
MSR - coordination with the ground forces
likely prevented an IED from injuring
coalition forces. We have also noted black
marketeers salvaging copper from newly
repaired power lines. While these have not
been traditional uses for airpower, they
have been effective and that is all that
matters. As the air commander, my primary
concern is the effect airpower has on the
battlefield in support of CENTCOM's mission
and our ground force. If I can achieve a
particular effect with F-16's with LITENING
Pods, then I'll task them. If a Predator UAV
is the appropriate vehicle, I'll task it.
The bottom line is to create an effect that
supports the war fighter and his mission.and
keeps him safe.
It has
been my pleasure and privilege to have had
the opportunity to speak to you today. I am
honored to be the CENTAF commander and truly
appreciate the support that this committee
has provided over the years and I look
forward to working with you as we continue
to refine our UAV force.
