MNN MILITARY BLOG
Homeland Security and Military Matters |
8/05/2008
Deploying Unit Gets Hands-on With Raven |
Spc. Jerry Reidy, mortarman, A Troop, 5th Squadron, 73rd
Cavalry Regiment launches the Raven during a raven
certification training exercise, July 30, 2008. The Raven has
become an essential tool to provide Paratroopers a proper
reconnaissance in a combat environment prior to a mission. |
How cool is
it to be in the military nowadays? With high-tech toys such as
the Raven, the answer must be "pretty cool." As a kid way back
when, I loved the Homing Pigeon on Speed Racer's Mach 5. While
in the Marines during the late 1980s, I remember the
commanding officer asking our platoon if anyone had experience
flying model airplanes, because the Corps was starting a UAV
program. Too bad I didn't have any experience with model
airplanes. But I did grow up shooting off Estes model rockets,
and not always within Rocketry guidelines. I tried to make
ground to ground missiles out of many of them. Maybe that's
one reason I ended up as a
TOW Missile operator. Nowadays, it appears, UAVs are a
regular part of battlefield equipment, and that must be pretty
cool for all the troops involved. Below is an article from the
US Military about Soldiers training to use the Raven, a small
UAV used by troops to conduct aerial surveillance.
By Pfc. Kimberly D. Cole
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
FORT POLK, La. - At first glance, the sight of Paratroopers in
a field handling what appears to be model airplanes one might
think the Paratroopers are goofing off. However, this is
serious business and can be the difference between life and
death.
More than 30 Paratroopers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
82nd Airborne Division, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., and
their instructors were assembled to get certified on the
"Raven," a small unmanned aerial vehicle used for
surveillance. The Raven was introduced to the Armed Forces in
October 2001.
Because of the 3rd BCT's scheduled deployment in the fall, the
"Raven" certification was an essential part of the
Paratrooper's training here at the Joint Readiness Training
Center.
With a length of 38-inches and a 5-foot wingspan, the Raven
weighs a little more than 4 pounds. Because of its compact
size, the Raven is a near perfect fit for forward deployed
units.
"The Raven comes in three small cases and can be rucked into
any area," said Sgt. Brian A. Smith, an aviation operation
sergeant assigned to the 3rd Brigade Aviation Element.
Smith said the Raven can operate for over an hour before the
battery needs to be replaced.
Staff Sgt. Eugene F. Holman, wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned
to Company D, 5th Squadron, 73rd Calvary Regiment, said the
Raven is very reliable and can be operated by the Paratrooper
to see areas of interest. It can also be programmed to cover a
certain area.
With such a large radius, the Raven can be ordered to
immediately return by pressing a single command button.
"If you lose link, the plane will come home," said Holman.
"The GPS is synched to this location."
With all its abilities in intelligence gathering,
surveillance, and reconnaissance, more Ravens are finding
their way into the battlefield.
"What's great is that you can send the Raven out ahead of a
convoy and check for activity," said Holman. "It can really
save lives."
The 3rd BCT is scheduled to deploy in the fall in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. |
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