The US Defence Budget for 2012 continues strong funding for
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) that enhance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The base budget includes $4.8 billion to develop and procure additional Global Hawk Class (RQ-4), Predator Class (MQ-1/9), and other less expensive, low-altitude systems. The 2012 budget asks for $1.7 billion for the high-altitude Global Hawk class – the same as in 2010, $2.5 billion for Predator-class drones, a significant increase
up from the current $1.7 billion. But smaller UAS, such as the Army’s 3-foot, hand-launched Raven, are being cut from $1.2 billion in the last funding bill down to $600 million.
3 Global Hawk Class (RQ-4): similar to the U-2 in mission and design – providing high-altitude, near-real-time, high-resolution ISR imagery. The RQ-4 can survey large geographic areas with pinpoint accuracy over land and water. The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) system is a maritime variant of Global Hawk.
84 Predator Class (MQ-1/9): operates over-the-horizon at medium altitude for long endurance. The MQ-1 (Predator for USAF and SOCOM, Gray Eagle for Army) has a primary mission of reconnaissance against perishable targets. The MQ-9 Reaper (USAF and SOCOM) has a hunter-killer primary mission.
1308 smaller UAS: less-expensive low altitude systems – including some available to frontline commanders at battalion level or lower.
