Turf war II: Army to Air Force: we won't give up our surveillance aircraft.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew

A second turf war over control of unmanned aerial vehicles is underway after sharp criticism from a senior Air Force general who said the Army is not efficiently deploying its fleet of medium-sized remotely piloted aircraft.

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Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, said in a statement the military needs a "joint approach" to employing UAVs that makes the most efficient use of the aircraft and promotes the "wisest use of tax dollars."

However, one Army aviation official at a recent industry conference described the controversy as a "fight," and said the service will oppose any efforts to put control of its aircraft in the hands of outsiders.

"It's important we put up a good fight, in conferences on the Hill and everywhere we can," said Lt. Col. James J. Cutting, chief of the unmanned aerial systems division at the Army headquarters aviation directorate.

Army medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft such as the Sky Warrior--and the soon to be deployed extended range/multipurpose UAV--remain under control of brigade commanders and are operated in theater by pilots and controllers who are deployed with the troops they serve. Deptula, among other proposals, recommended that these assets be placed under the control of joint regional commands.

Two years ago, the services fought a public battle over who should control UAVs that fly over 3,500 feet. The Air Force argued that as the military's main aviation branch, it should control what flies in the higher altitudes. The Army ultimately won the right to operate its aircraft.

Deptula told National Defense that this issue was not another turf battle because the Air Force was not seeking control of the UAVs.

Army aviation officers countered that the Air Force--when employing aircraft such as the Predator and Reaper--was not responsive to the needs of ground forces, and that operators have been known to fly the UAVs off in the middle of operations to perform other previously scheduled tasks. In short, Air Force operated surveillance aircraft cannot be counted on in the heat of battle, said officials at an Army Aviation Association of America conference.

They intended to fight any attempt to place control of their UAVs under anyone but brigade commanders. What they call the "organic" capabilities of the UAVs are crucial to the way they operate. Further, they gave several anecdotes to back up their contentions.

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