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    Maryland Army National Guard 'takes flight' with the Raven

    Maryland Army National Guard 'takes flight' with the Raven

    Photo By Senior Airman Matt Porter | U.S. Army Soldier Sgt. Byme Taylor, 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Reigment...... read more read more

    JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES

    06.01.2023

    Story by Senior Airman Matt Porter 

    Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

    JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – Soldiers with the Maryland Army National
    Guard’s 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, conducted training with the RQ-11 Raven at
    Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. on 1 June, 2023.

    The small hand-launched remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle provides day or night
    aerial intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. With a flight radius of
    10km and the ability to reach speeds of 50-100 km/h, the Raven provides superior aerial
    reconnaissance capabilities compared to most drones.

    “We’ll launch the Raven to enhance training exercises that require top-down intelligence of the
    landscape,” said U.S. Army Spc. Hyung Kang, 175th Infantry Regiment, infantryman. “Once
    launched, we’re able to relay information to our Commander so that he can make educated
    decisions for troop movement.”

    The Raven is assembled on site and undergoes a series of quality and performance checks to
    ensure optimal, unhindered flight time.

    “It’s extremely durable and easy to assemble, which makes performing the checks and getting it
    up in the air a faster process than one might expect,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Byme Taylor, 175th
    Infantry Regiment, infantryman. “It’s programmed to return to us if it flies out of range and will
    conduct a controlled landing where it’s designed to break apart on impact.”

    While durable, the Raven comes with many replacement components should it need to get back
    up in the air and is otherwise unable to do so.

    “You wouldn’t think that something which breaks up on landing would fly again, but retrieval,
    reassembly, and relaunch can be a fairly quick process,” said Thomas Cantwell, 175th Infantry
    Regiment, infantryman. “This is important because we need flight hours to qualify as controllers,
    so the more time it can be up in the air during these trainings then the better it is for everyone
    involved.”

    Touting a multi-decade history of proven combat effectiveness in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the
    Raven has become a staple of company-level engagements and special forces operations. The
    SUAV was also supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces as part of the United State’s $75 billion
    in rendered aid to the country during its conflict with Russia.

    The 175th Infantry Regiment concluded its annual two-week training at the Army Support
    Activity Fort Dix Ranges. Organized on 3 June, 1774, the Regiment is one of 30 federally
    recognized units within the U.S. Army that has roots in the colonial era.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 06.01.2023
    Date Posted: 06.05.2023 15:10
    Story ID: 446254
    Location: JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US

    Web Views: 110
    Downloads: 0

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