The Department of Defense wants the ability to launch and recover small drones from C-130 Hercules transports. The drones, nicknamed Gremlins after the mythological tricksters of the air, would be equipped with customized payloads and turned loose on enemy defenses, doing everything from intelligence collection to destroying radar sites and other ground targets. The ability would effectively turn the propeller-driven transports into flying aircraft carriers.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Phase Two contracts to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems—the inventors of the Predator drone —and Dynetics, Inc to develop “complete preliminary designs for full-scale technology demonstration systems, as well as develop and perform risk-reduction tests of individual system components” In other words, they want a working drone with key components already tested.

Gremlins will be small, low-cost fliers that can be equipped with a variety of payloads for different purposes. Each Gremlin will have a payload limit of 60 pounds and a range of 300 miles. A C-130 equipped with Gremlins could fly near enemy air defenses during wartime, kicking drones out of the back. During peacetime or a crisis, Gremlins could fly near the borders of potential adversaries, collecting signals intelligence, imagery, and other data without risking a pilot.

In wartime, Gremlin swarms could identify enemy targets, such as headquarters or air defense radars, presenting them with expendable targets they would have to ignore, allowing the Gremlins to complete their mission, or waste expensive missiles to destroy. Once a picture of the enemy situation develops, other Gremlins equipped with high explosive warheads could fly suicide missions to destroy enemy targets. The same drones could carry out the same missions, with intelligence collection payloads swapped out for high explosive ones. The drones will have a life expectancy of at least 20 flights, although drones sent on suicide missions will obviously have a set life expectancy.

Although the Gremlins will be launched and recovered from a C-130 Hercules transport, another altogether different airplane might control them once in the air. According to Scout, USAF F-22 and F-35 fighters could one day control multiple drones in the air, allowing them to coordinate the unmanned air battle behind enemy lines.

The term “Gremlins” goes back to World War II, when aircrews blamed minor issues with their aircraft on invisible creatures that loved to play mischievous tricks.

In addition to being low cost and reusable, the Gremlins will be reusable within 24 hours of a flight. The next phase of the Gremlin initiative, Phase 3, will involve actually launching and recovering the drones from the C-130 transport. That will happen in 2019 or later.

Source: Scout

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