A Weapon Idea

[codewarrior]

Hello I'm an engineering student and I took a shot at creating a new type of UAV. An animated link is listed below and a summary is attached as a pdf.

Link to the Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN2EarVP1rQ)

Tell me what you think.

[Fuchs]

An ATACMS missile can reach up to Mach 3 close to its target. That's no good opportunity for an attempt to inflate an atmospheric pressure balloon.

[SJPONeill]

I tend to agree with Stuart L. Koehl's comment on the SWC Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/notes/small-wars-journal/a-weapon-idea/403679408337). While there is probably a place for a persistent lighter-than-air UAV capability in the miniature/Tier 1 class, launching it from a platform like ATACMS/MLRS is probably neither cost-effective not that practical - modern UAVs, even in this class have a signature and range that probably renders this launch method unnecessary. As Stuart says, a design with fold/pop-out control surfaces and sensors is probably the way to go. I'd drop the missile-launched part of the study and focus more on what a smaller LTA UAV might bring to the party

Simon @ Hawkeye (www.hawkeyeuav.co.nz)