GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Provincial Reconstruction Team members on Forward Operating Base Ghazni tested the RQ-11 Raven, unmanned aircraft system, for proficiency April 1.
“This aircraft greatly increases our situational awareness without the enemy knowing,” said U.S. Army Cpl. John Paulk, 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, security forces team leader. “I get to be a pilot while staying on the ground; this is the closest I’ll get to being a pilot in the infantry.”
The Raven is a lightweight unmanned aircraft system. The remote controlled aircraft weighs about four pounds and has a wing span of almost five feet, and is 38 inches in length. The raven is a hand-launched aircraft and has the capability to fly up to 80 minutes at 30 miles an hour and send back images to the controller.
“The raven is a quick and easy device that makes the PRT missions a lot safer,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Lesh, Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni radio/telephone operator. “Designed for rapid deployment and high mobility, we use the raven for aerial observation during our military operations.”
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2012 03:25 |
| Story ID: | 86608 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 111 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, UAS watches out for US service members, by TSgt April Quintanilla, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
