Flight of the Raven: Jalalabad

  Among the newest weapons in the US arsenal that’s being used to fight the war here in Afghanistan is the Raven, a radio controlled drone aircraft called a SUAV (small unmanned aerial vehicle).  CPL Erick J. Roads of the 173^rd Airborne Brigade stationed at Camp Fenty  on the outskirts of the Jalalabad airfield here in Afghanistan, is the Brigade Master Trainer in the use of the small SUAV.  He is holding a class this morning in the parking lot of the commercial airport terminal.  The rusting remains of a Russian MIG Fighter lie in the grass nearby.

American GI launching a Raven drone.

The Raven has a wingspan of 55 inches.  It’s powered by an electric motor and is equipped with a battery that can keep it in the air from 60 to 90 minuets.  Its’ mission is reconnaissance surveillance and target acquisition only.   Larger SUAVs, the Predator and Reaper are armed as well and able to fire on an enemy target.  It has a range of 10K , can fly as high as 1 thousand feet above the ground and has an operating ceiling of 15,000 ft. 

“Infantry men love this tool” said CPL Roads.  “They no longer have to guess about what lies ahead of them on a mission.  Just send up a Raven and it will film the whole route of deployment and the location of expected combat.  They can even circle above and film the operation.”

A high speed digital camera, that’s able to transmit images up to 10 kilometers, is located in the nose of the SUAV.  These images are transmitted to a laptop computer at the location of launch.  The system is controlled by a PSP (play station portable), the same type that is used on video games.  While the control of the Raven from launch location is limited to 10 kilometers, if required, the operator can hand off to another controller down range, and continue the flight over new territory.  

Afghan Army soldiers watching the drone demonstration.

“Another great feature of this system’ said CPL Rodas, as he instructed his men to prepare for a flight, “is that it’s portable.  Two infantrymen can carry the whole system on their backs, assemble it down range when needed and launch in a matter of minuets.”

Launching is tricky.  First of all Air Traffic Control must be contacted to give route of flight and operational altitude.   Then sent airborne by hand, rather like passing a football on the run. Some of the men practice launching and others operate the PSP.  This Raven system is used also in coordination with forward observers for mortars and long range artillery.  One more instance of replacing a man with a machine to save lives on the battlefield.

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*A version of this article appeared in the Press Republican on Oct. 18, 2007.