January 21st, 2013Top StoryDARPA's SeeMee Satellites Are a Soldier's On-Demand Eye In the SkyBy Andrew Tarantola
Spy satellites and UAVs alike suffer from the same problem—availability. Sure some UAVs in the US arsenal can remain airborne for the better part of two days while providing focused area coverage but they eventually have to refuel which leads to intel coverage gaps. Orbiting satellites don't need to refuel but their operational windows—and therefore the wide area imaging they are able to provide—are limited by their overflight schedule (the amount of time they're actually overhead). When combined with information flow restrictions through the chain of command, actually delivering fresh, tactical intel can be a challenge. In response, DARPA has set about creating a hybridized, tertiary level of intelligence gathering that leverages the relative strengths of both technologies and delivers that information directly to the troops that need it most urgently. "We're putting near-real time data where the warfighter needs it – directly into their hands – and providing them with vital, tactical intelligence they can control," said Tom Bussing, vice president of Advanced Missile Systems at Raytheon Missile Systems in a press release.
"SeeMe is a logical adjunct to UAV technology, which will continue to provide local or regional very high-resolution coverage, but which can't cover extended areas without frequent refueling," DARPA program manager Dave Barnhart told United press International (UPI). The project has just gotten out of the design phase so there's no timetable yet for deployment but Raytheon is reportedly already building a half dozen prototypes for Phase two testing.  |
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