Page 63 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL

This BQM-34A Firebee I
was supporting US Pacific
Air Force Command
operations in 1984 (Photo:
SSGT Daniel Perez/USAF)

customers’ requirements. help avoid the complications of carrying out such trials on land,”
“We might do a series of tracking runs if that is what is needed. Werner said.
Sometimes the trial calls for the target’s destruction, sometimes Like its range of aerial targets, QTS designs and builds its surface
it doesn’t, but we always consider that a target has a working targets rather than modifying existing vehicles. Targets are
lifetime, is built to a certain cost and isn’t designed to be used for also equipped to employ additional features, such as jamming,
many years,” he said. augmented radar signature and configurable electromagnetic
emissions.
SURFACE TARGETS “Since we’re simulating a threat, the target also needs to
A variety of Unmanned Surface Vehicle-Targets (USV-T) options manoeuvre like the threat system. Operators at the target control
is available for engagement by naval, vehicle and other military station might, with an aerial target for example, manoeuvre it in an
systems, and from the air. And while it is perhaps more relevant to attempt to defeat the weapons system under test,” Werner said.
military training exercises, QTS has the ability to operate multiple “For an aerial target we’ll establish exactly what type of profile
surface targets - as many as 40 simultaneously. the customer wants the target to fly, and then one of our pilots
Surface targets may be engaged from the air, providing a more will control it, knowing all the time where it is. The process is very
serious challenge for missiles that are designed to track and similar for a surface target.”
destroy fast-moving vehicles. Interestingly, the naval targets are The target operating crew always remains in contact with the
also offered for trials of weapons designed for use against land customer throughout. This means if a technical issue arises with
targets. the target or a test point is missed, arranging a repeat run is
“We can simulate a fast-moving land target at sea, which may relatively simple.

The DC-130 was modified to launch target drones, in this case the
BQM-34S Firebee (Photo: PHCS RL Lawson/US Navy)

World Airnews | May Extra 2020
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