Navy's new drones taking center stage.

• Author: Insinna, Valerie

* Ask a layman to name an unmanned aerial vehicle, and he will probably cite one of the armed drones used by the Air Force, such as the Predator or Reaper. Naval UAVs used for reconnaissance, such as the ScanEagle and Raven, have stayed mostly out of the public eye.

The Navy finally is developing its own custom unmanned air systems, with the service planning on fielding four new aircraft in the next few years. The coming decade may yield naval UAVs that become just as famous as their Air Force counterparts--that is, if the service has the funding to do it.

Some of these UAVs will incorporate revolutionary and somewhat risky technologies, such as a system that will autonomously take off and land from a moving aircraft carrier.

But money, or the lack thereof, could throw a wrench into the equation, said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at the Teal Group.

"The Navy has the advantage of buying UAVs later than the other services, so it will be able to learn from their experiences and take advantage of operational and technological advances," he told National Defense in an email. "However, the difficulty comes in ramping up funding for three major UAV programs at the same time."

These programs include the land-based MQ-4C Triton surveillance aircraft, the MQ-8 Fire Scout helicopter, and the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS).

Both the Triton and Fire Scout are manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The Navy was scheduled to release in September a request for proposals for UCLASS after months of delays.

With Triton set to move into production, the UCLASS program needing increased funding for development and purchases of the Fire Scout ramping up in coming years, the Navy will have its work cut out for itself, Finnegan said. "That is quite a challenge in an environment in which carrier reductions are being raised."

Yet with the military's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, the Navy is facing a rising demand for unmanned aerial vehicles, he added. "It will need increased surveillance to protect the fleet from the higher threat level in these areas, and it will be in the forefront of gathering ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] in areas in which the U.S. may not have access to bases."

The Navy has structured its UAS to partner with complementary piloted aircraft. Triton is paired with the upcoming P-8 Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft that will perform anti-submarine and anti-surface...