With attacks by roadside bombs on the rise in Afghanistan, the U.S. is preparing to deploy a man-hunting radar capable of spotting people in the act of planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The radar -- called VADER, for Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar -- is sharp-eyed enough to see individuals from an altitude of about 25,000 feet. It is housed in a 5-foot-long pod designed to be mounted under the wings of Army Extended Range Multi-Purpose Sky Warrior unmanned planes, although it could be carried by traditional piloted planes or other unmanned aircraft including Air Force Reapers. Military officials have expressed everything from interest in VADER to outright pledges to field it. Special operations forces have said they are interested in putting VADER on a Hummingbird unmanned helicopter. The radar is in "potential consideration" as a payload to be carried by the Sky Warriors, which were sent to Iraq last year and are scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan this year, said Army spokeswoman Sofia Bledsoe. The strongest embrace comes from the Pentagon's Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), which has said VADER "will be deployed on manned and unmanned aerial platforms over the next several years for extended operational assessments."
展开▼
