UAVs

Seems the use of these things is exploding. Even Australia is getting on the UAV bandwagon, what with likely acquisition of the Global Hawk (2000-2001 Defence Budget sets aside $100m-$250m for acquisition possibly in 2004, the ADF wants 6 airframes). Even Sonacom, an Australian company, in conjunction with the University of Sydney’s Aeromech Engineering Department (Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronics engineering) have designed a small UAV called Mirli with a range of 1000km and payload of 95kg for use from ships and by land forces for coastal surveillance and battlefield surveillance.

http://www.sonacom.com.au/Images_Sonacom/m2.jpg
The Mirli (aboriginal for dragonfly).

The Mirli is a VTOL UAV and will carry payloads such as an inverse synthetic aperture radar, COMINT and SIGINT sensors, IR sensors, visual sensors and sonar equipment. It is also designed to be able to be launched from ski-ramped equipped ships to improve range (although the RAN does not operate any ski-ramped ships obviously).

Just would like to start a general discussion about the use of UAVs in the past and possible use in the future and for my fellow Australians, do you think the Mirli would present a useful asset for the ADF?

MinMiester