Policy Options For Unmanned Aircraft Systems Uas

UAS¿s hold great promise for the military, but technology has only recently matured enough to exploit that potential. Much as the stealth fighter and Patriot missile came to public attention during the 1991 Gulf War, surveillance and missile-attack operations by Predator UAS have been publicized in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The DoD¿s 2012 plan calls for purchasing more of the existing UAS for current operations, improving the systems already in service, and designing more-capable UAS for the future. This report compares the costs of DoD's plans and the capabilities those plans might provide for reconnaissance and light attack missions with the costs and capabilities of some alternative options. Illus. This is a print on demand report.