Innovative Development. Global Hawk and Darkstar. Executive Summary: Their Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration Program Experience

摘要

The United States has seen a three-decade-long history of poor outcomes in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development efforts. UAV and tactical surveillance/reconnaissance programs have a history of failure involving inadequate integration of sensor, platform, and ground elements, together with unit costs far exceeding what operators have been willing to pay. This history motivated the unique management approach adopted at the beginning of the High- Altitude Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HAE UAV) program. The High-Altitude Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (HAE UAV) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program incorporated a number of innovative elements into its development strategy. As a condition of conducting this ACTD, Congress required that an independent third party study its implementation. RAND was chosen for this role and has been following the HAE UAV ACTD program since its inception. The joint program was conducted until October 1998 under the direction of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO) and was then conducted under the U.S. Air Force through the completion of the ACTD. RAND's initial research covering Phase I and most of Phase II was sponsored by DARPA; the Air Force sponsored RAND's effort through the completion of the ACTD.