Both Services Plan To Maximize Commonality, Eliminate Redundant
Effort And Increase Interoperability
In a signed memorandum of agreement, Air Force and Navy
officials partnered to maximize commonality, eliminate redundant
effort and increase interoperability between the Broad Area
Maritime Surveillance unmanned aircraft systems and the RQ-4 Global
Hawk system.
US Air Force Global Hawk
Signed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead June 12, the MOA
directs specific actions to achieve an integrated training,
maintenance and operational approach based on platform
similarities. The MOA also directs the establishment of a Synergies
Working Group to identify synergies in basing, maintenance,
aircraft command and control, training, logistics, and data
requirements commonalities.
Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and Vice Adm. Jack
Dorsett, the Navy deputy chief of naval operations for information
dominance, will act as leads for their respective services
directing and developing BAMS UAS and Global Hawk synergies. "This
MOA is a tremendous step forward between our two services," General
Deptula said. "It sets the standard for what can be achieved by
seeking service interdependence."
General Deptula explained the two services will achieve synergy
in personnel, equipment and training while reducing overall cost to
the Department of Defense. "The result of this integrated approach
will be greater capacity for quick, reliable and sustainable ISR
for combatant commanders," the general said.
Navy officials expressed similar confidence in the success the
agreement will yield. "This agreement allows us to leverage the
shared and complementary expertise of the Navy and Air Force and
deliver agile, interoperable systems to the warfighter," Admiral
Dorsett said. "We also look forward to the increased efficiencies
that this approach will deliver to the benefit of both the BAMS and
Global Hawk programs."
Although the MOA does not obligate funds, it does focus on
identifying commonalities, interoperability and joint
efficiencies.
The MOA specifically directs BAMS UAS and Global Hawk programs
to look at options for joint Navy and Air Force squadron
organizations; joint basing in various theaters, subject to
combatant commander approval where required; squadron-level
consolidated maintenance facility; and joint aircraft command and
control, and training.
BAMS UAS will be a forward-deployed, land-based,
remotely-operated system that provides a persistent maritime ISR
capability as a key component of the Navy's family of unmanned
systems to achieve maritime domain awareness. Initial operating
capability is scheduled for 2015.