Army Scout/Reconnaissance Helicopters Versus Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

All armies have long recognized the importance of reconnaissance in the successful accomplishment of their mission. Operations Desert ShieldStorm were no exceptions and, once again, proved that knowing the location of the enemy ground forces is paramount to achieving a decisive victory. However, with the reduction of the defense budget, the U.S. Army needs to relook how best to meet its future aerial scout reconnaissance requirements. To solve the unarmed reconnaissance deficiency, there is a joint program to develop a new family of unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs underway. Likewise, to solve the armed reconnaissance deficiency, the Army is developing a new reconnaissance, attack helicopter. In this paper, I review some of our experiences in the Persian Gulf War with using both UAVs and helicopters. Also discussed are some of the costs associated with each system and its organizational structure. In addition, I outline the major advantages and disadvantages related to the systems. Finally, I provide recommendations on how the Army can best accomplish its reconnaissance mission with these two new systems.