B-2A serial 90-0040 taxies
at Andersen AFB, Guam, as it
arrives on January 8. Spirit of
Alaska is one of three B-2As
deployed from Whiteman AFB,
Missouri, in support of US
Pacifi c Command (PACOM)’s
Continuous Bomber Presence
(CBP) mission.
USAF/A1C Gerald WillisSPIRITS DEPLOYED TO GUAM
CONTINUOUS BOMBER PRESENCE AT ANDERSEN AFB
UNMANNED DELIVERY
SYSTEM DEMONSTRATED
AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES
completed a demonstration in
support of the O ce of Naval
Research’s Autonomous Aerial
Cargo/Utility System (AACUS)
program on December 13.
Conducted at Marine Corps Base
Quantico’s Urban Training Center
in Virginia, the evaluation was
carried out with the AACUS-enabled
UH-1H (AEH-1) helicopter, but the
sensor and software package can
be integrated into any manned or
unmanned rotary-wing aircraft.
The aircraft completed three fully
autonomous missions over a two-
day period.
The UH-1H is tted with on-board
light detection and ranging (LIDAR)
and camera sensors that enableit to detect and avoid tree lines,
wires, buildings and other hazards.
Additionally, it evaluates the
landing zone and characterizes the
terrain to avoid landing in water,
mud or on dangerously uneven
ground, all controlled from a hand-
held tablet device.
Although previous
demonstrations showcased
the autonomous capabilities
and interactions with trained
operators, this was the rst
AACUS demonstration in which
the aircraft performed cargo and
utility missions in an operationally
relevant training environment
under Marine Corps operation.
The corps had previously used an
unmanned version of the KamanK-MAX helicopter to provide
this capability in Afghanistan
as an alternative to dangerous
road convoys or manned aircraft
missions. The AACUS represents
a leap ahead over existing
technology, which requires a
specialized operator. Aurora has
developed several technologies
under the AACUS program that
include the digital ight control
system that enables the ‘Huey’ to yautonomously. Current test rules
permit Aurora to operate the AEH-
autonomously with a safety pilot on
board to monitor the controls.
At the conclusion of the AACUS
program in March 2018, Aurora
will lease the AEH-1 to Naval Air
Systems Command (NAVAIR) for use
in a series of service experiments
that will assess the bene t and
impact of using autonomy in future
operations.T
HREE NORTHROP
GRUMMAN B-2A
Spirits and around 200
airmen from the 509th
Bomb Wing arrived at
Andersen AFB, Guam, on
January 8-9. The planned ‘short-
term’ deployment was conductedunder the auspices of the US
Paci c Command’s Continuous
Bomber Presence (CBP) mission,
but was also intended to send a
message to North Korea while
reassuring regional partner
nations of the US commitment to
the region.AWACS UPGRADES
THE USAF HAS awarded Boeing a
$46-million contract modi cation
for the additional low-rate initial
production of kits for that will
update the ight deck of the E-
airborne early warning and control
system (AWACS) aircraft with new
digital instrumentation. Under
the diminished manufacturing
sources replacement of avionics for
global operations and navigation
(DRAGON) program, the aircraft
will receive ve full-color digital
displays with customizable
navigation, engine, and radar data.
Installation will be carried out at
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma and work
will be completed by 2022. The
rst E-3 to receive the DRAGON
upgrades arrived at Tinker in
January 2017.UH-1H N432GC conducts an autonomous landing at Marine Corps
Base Quantico, Virginia, on December 12, 2017. Registered to NWH/
Turbines LLC, this ‘Huey’ was originally constructed by the Aerospace
Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Taiwan for the Republic
of Singapore. US Navy/John F. WilliamsVMFA-323 ‘Death Rattlers’ painted F/A-18C BuNo 164881/
NH-401 in special markings while it was deployed
aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in late 2017. The aircraft
replaces the squadron ‘CAG-bird’ coded NH-400, which is
currently in depot maintenance. Dan Stijovich‘DEATH RATTLERS’
SPECIAL
[NEWS] UNITED STATES
10 March 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
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