UCAVs in Afganistan?

Aviation Week & Space Technology, 18-Oct-2001

Although careful not to confirm a specific action, U.S. Defense Dept. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld conceded a potential role for armed unmanned vehicles in air strikes on Afghanistan.

Rumsfeld hedged when asked if the U.S. government had armed UAV's on Afghanistan missions, then added: "It seems to me you might be right."

Unmanned vehicles will likely play a variety of roles during the conflict, he said, including missions that had "previously solely been conducted by human beings."

An RQ-1 Predator operated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency reportedly has fired Hellfire anti-tank missiles on ground targets in Afghanistan, perhaps marking a significant change in modern warfare, according to a report Thursday by The Washington Post.

Hellfire missiles are traditionally fired by low-flying Army attack helicopters or from Navy ships.

The 700-pound Predator, which can reach altitudes above 40,000 feet, allows the military to track stationary or mobile targets and instantly fire on them from beyond the range of some air defense systems.

In February, the U.S. Air Force successfully tested firing a Hellfire missile on a tank from a low-flying Predator, an Air Force statement says. The 100-pound missile struck the tank's turret, heavily damaging the vehicle.