The U.S. Army is quickly expanding and accelerating the Manned-Unmanned Teaming operations, or MUM-T, which combines the strength of manned and unmanned platforms to increase situational awareness. The MUM-T enables beaming real-time drone video into the cockpits of the Apache Helicopter. Kris Osborn from Scout Warrior writes about the deadly combination of the Apache’s lethal weapons and the drone’s sensors.
Manned-Unmanned Teaming, or MUM-T, gives AH-64E Apaches an ability to control the flight path and sensor payload of Army Shadow and Gray Eagle drones.
As part of the continuation of the Army’s development of this technology, Boeing was awarded a $24 million contract for manned and unmanned teaming expanded compatibility on all Apache attack helicopter AH-64E configurations, a DoD announcement said.
Army officials say the combination of the Apache’s lethal weapons and the drones’ sensors enable helicopter crews to find and go after dynamic or fast-moving targets from further ranges. Manned-Unmanned Teaming was recently used with great success in Afghanistan by the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, Army officials said. In addition, Apache helicopters are providing air support to Iraqi Security Forces advancing on Mosul. “Now before the unit even deploys out of the Forward Arming Refueling Point, or FARP, they can actually bring up the UAS (drone) feed, look through the sensors and see the target they are going to attack up to 50 or 60 miles away,” Apache Program Manager Col. Jeff Hager told Scout Warrior in an interview last year.
Hager also explained that maintaining drone sensors on targets which can move and change gives the Apache crew an opportunity to make adjustments while en-route to a target location.
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