FOB PASAB, AFGHANISTAN: The high pitched roar of the ‘Shadow’ can be heard every morning before dawn here at Pasab, the command post of the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team here in southern Afghanistan. It departs from a 1500 ft paved strip on the back side of the brigade motor pool. This TUAS (Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System) uses the strip just for the landing phase of the operation.
A Shadow drone coming in for a computerized GPS landing at FOB Pasab, Afghanistan.
“We launch this aircraft using a pressurized launcher system, a catapult that’s attached to a trailer and can be towed by the truck that also carries four disassembled aircraft,” said Warrant Officer One, Marilyn Payano, the chief TUAS technician. “As you can see, this system which is less than thirty feet in length, can have this drone airborne from zero to 70 knots in .07 seconds.”
This complete system can be packed up and on the road with an infantry outfit in three hours. Here at Pasab its main function is to provide nearly continuous coverage of the AO (area of operations). This provides the brigade commander at the TOC (tactical command center) aerial coverage throughout his command. The TOC has 16 screens, one of which is provided with live video from the TUAS Shadow platoon. This platoon can focus on and provide an overhead view of any insurgent activity happening in the AO, including any US troop movements that are pertinent. The primary focus of this system presently in the Kandahar area is to provide information to convoys. The Shadow drone can scan the routes ahead of time and pick any insurgent activity, especially the laying of IEDs along the highway which is the largest cause of injury and death to US troops here. The infrared camera on board provides coverage for night time raids.
“You see,” said Warrant Officer Payano, “the maneuver battalion commander on the ground has the ability to view the same live feed video through the OSRVT (One System Remote Video Terminal) which is just a laptop; and furthermore both the unit on the ground and the commander in the TOC are in direct radio communication with each other.”
Warrant Officer Payano hesitates for a moment. “I might add also,” she said, “that this live video feed from airborne Shadow aircraft here in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan can also be beamed live to the Pentagon. There have been instances in Afghanistan where officers in Washington, DC have actually directed firefights at the platoon level here on the ground in this country.”
L to R: PFC Clinton Gardiner and Warrant Officer Marilyn Payano preflighting a Shadow drone for a mission from FOB Pasab, Afghanistan.
The ground crew is running a Shadow drone through a preflight to take off before the one now airborne lands. PFC Clinton Gardiner who hails from central New York State where he grew up on a dairy farm is going through the checklist. He had formerly worked as a mechanic at the Hamilton Airport and joined the army aviation program because he’s always loved airplanes.
“This is basically not a complicated aircraft,” he said. “It’s powered by a 37 hp 100 octane gasoline engine similar to those used to power civilian ultra light aircraft. It stalls at 70 knots and cruises at 80 knots. The high cost of $1.5 million is in part due to the camera pod which cost $0.5 million itself.”
After launch the Shadow is piloted by soldiers in a two station van which houses display screens and controls. It is flown by computer prompts, not conventional stick and rudder controls. When its 5 or 6 hours of flight is finished it is programmed to return to its take off point and lands automatically through a GPS computerized landing system.
“This aircraft has a parachute recovery system,” said Warrant Officer Payano. “If it runs out of fuel or malfunctions for any reason it turns upside down, to protect the camera pod, and floats to the ground. We don’t use that system here though since we’d not want to chance recovery by an insurgent group. It will crash and burn.”
Thus far the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division has not lost any of their Shadow aircraft.
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