Investing in Unmanned Systems
Department of Defense Vision and Challenges for Unmanned Systems
United States and allied combat operations continue to highlight the value of unmanned systems in the modern combat environment. Combatant Commanders and warfighters value the inherent features of unmanned systems, especially their persistence, versatility, and reduced risk to human life. The U.S. military services are fielding these systems in rapidly increasing numbers across all domains: air, ground, and maritime. Unmanned systems provide diverse capabilities to the joint commander to conduct operations across a range of military operations: environmental sensing and battlespace awareness; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection; counter-improvised explosive device capabilities; port security; precision targeting; and precision strike. Furthermore,…