Army nearing choice of new reconnaissance aircraft

The Army is nearing selection of an integration contractor for nine Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Enhanced aircraft, based on the Bombardier Dash 8-300 platform. The aircraft will replace the current EO-5C ARL-multifunction systems in use, which are based on the Bombardier Dash 7 platform.

L-3 Communications, Leidos, and Northrop Grumman are competing for the contract. The aircraft have already been purchased, and Northrop has been selected to supply the radar for them. L-3 has selected BAE Systems to do the SIGINT systems, based on their Diamondback and Grey Eagle systems. Leidos is working with Boeing's Argon-ST with Dynamic Aviation to do the actual work. Northrop is using in house equipment and systems.

The U.S. Army is planning to choose a prime integrating contractor for nine Airborne Reconnaissance Low - Enhanced (ARL-E) systems, based on Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft, before the end of November.
They will replace the current fleet of EO-5C ARL-Multifunction systems, modified from four-engine Bombardier Dash 7s, which carry radar, electro-optical and signals intelligence (sigint) sensors and operator consoles.

aviationweek.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

So Army can run fixed-wing aircraft! Just not ones to help their own soldiers in combat, it seems. WTF?

As if Navy could run recon subs, but needed Army for fast attack boats.

a reply to: mbkennel

Under the Johnson-McConnell Agreement the Army agreed to give up tactical aircraft, and only keep some support aircraft, while the Air Force agreed to give up all support helicopters and only keep SAR, CSAR, and a limited number of helicopters.

The army has many fixed wing airplanes. The only plane that I can remember that was lost to the AF was the Caribou. I think, the point that we had to give up the plane was its' empty weight and if it was armed.

The Mohawk, that I flew, was prohibited from carrying gun or rocket pods per the agreement.

a reply to: buddah6

If it was armed it would fall under the tactical category. It's an asinine agreement, but so are many others they wrote.

That dates back to when the Air Force was newly formed, and had become the darling of various administrations.

The Air Force, which at the time meant Curtis LeMay, wanted all air craft under its aegis, which included an attempt to do away with navy aviation, which went no where rapidly. Though they did manage to kill off at least one aircraft carrier. They also tried to get all nukes under their authority, as well, if I recall the history correctly.

Fortunately, that ran it's course and the Army was able to at least retain its helicopter assets. But the Air Force has to do CAS, which they're none too fond of, 'cause it's not supersonic.

It's an asinine agreement, and has probably cost lives.

a reply to: seagull

LeMay was a freaking genius when it came to strategic bombing and building the Air Force. On the opposite end of the spectrum he was something of an egotistical ass who thought he was always right.

a reply to: Zaphod58

According to my Dad, who had some limited exposure to him as a plank owner in SAC, he was borderline, don't want to say insane, but he was lacking a bit in that dept. He was a raging anti-communist of the same ilk as Joseph McCarthy.

He did right by the Air Force, but that was the entirety of his focus. Not entirely a good thing, in a Flag Officer of his rank.

a reply to: seagull

From what I've learned of him over the years, if he were alive today I'd bet good money he gets diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

One of the reasons he was able to set SAC and the AF up as well as he did is because he was so paranoid that the Soviet Union would try to infiltrate them, so when he was working on them he only worked with people he knew workout a doubt he could trust to come up with something that he would then approve.

Other than that, he was freaking nuts. He was constantly pushing to use more atomic weapons. He wanted to use them in Korea, and if the Soviets didn't back down, somewhere it would affect them, to force them to break apart into individual nations.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Then there are the rumours that he was intimately involved in the Kennedy assassination, a prime mover, if you will.

As powerful as he was in certain circles in DC? It wouldn't shock me.

a reply to: seagull

Half of DC thought he walked on water. The rest were torn between crucifying him, firing him, or arranging an accident for him.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Pretty much.

Personally, I'd have probably been in the latter group. He was a serious piece of work.

a reply to: seagull

In many ways, I agree with him. If you're going to fight, then fight dammit. None of this pussyfooting around with having to get permission to fire artillery, etc.

Destroy your enemy completely. If you want to rebuild after, fine. But when it's time to fight, don't pull any punches.

a reply to: Zaphod58

THAT antiquated BS needs to be s##t canned.
The Airforce needs to focus more on space and turn over the CAS mission to the Army.
The USAF is forgetting what Robin Olds taught them about technology,only THIS time it's stealth,not missiles.
THAT edge won't last forever and BOOM back to dogfighting.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I've no problem with that. In war, you do what you must, within reason, to win.

But the sheer unadulterated joy he took in doing so is rather frightening. A lot of the men in SAC thought he was a few fries short of a happy meal

a reply to: seagull

He was definitely an odd one. He was utterly uncompromising in his demands that you do your duty. God help you if he thought you were slacking.

But he was utterly inflexible in that his men WERE going to be taken care of. Period.

Yes he took joy in destroying his enemies, but he spent most of the war fighting the Japanese, and seeing the brutal things done in the Pacific. Then after the war, he transitioned into having to fight vindictive back stabbing assholes in his chain of command.

Pretty much until he became CSAF he was fighting one battle or another. You're going to end up a few fries short after awhile.

Leidos has been selected

.defensesystems.com...

An AWACS for ground pounders?

a reply to: Blackfinger

JSTARS replica but not as capable.