High tech warbird aids Haiti relief efforts
It wasn’t so many months ago that Defense Secretary Gates had to issue a direct order to the Air Force to make additional drones available for use in the Iraqi and Afghani combat theaters. Now we see these same UAV’s deployed for disaster aid. Seems like a step in the right direction. It would be great if the URL for this footage was public.
An RQ-1 Predator prepares for takeoff at Aeropuerto Rafael Hernandez outside Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on 27 Jan., 2010. The RQ-1 remotely piloted systems are operating out of Puerto Rico in support of Operation Unified Response in Haiti. Airmen from Creech Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev. are providing 24 hour a day full-motion video in real time to international relief workers on the ground in order to speed humanitarian aid to remote and cut-off areas of the country following the earthquake on 12 Jan., 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Jeff Bright)
An RQ-1 Predator, tail number 3210, took off at 11:07 A.M. today from Aeropuerto Rafael Hernandez outside Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The remotely piloted aircraft mission marked the first time the system has been used to support humanitarian operations and the first time RPVs have operated from an active civilian airport, taking turns on the runway with airlines, cargo planes and helicopters.
The “proof-of-concept” mission was the culmination of rapid coordination between Federal Aviation Administration officials, the U.S. Air Force, the government of Haiti and various international aviation organizations, explained Maj. Jeff Bright, the 432d Wing Detachment commander in Puerto Rico.
Approximately 50 Airmen from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., deployed to Puerto Rico on Jan 18th — and were ready to fly RPA sorties within 24 hours. Approvals and coordination between the government of Haiti, the FAA and local airfield authorities, was completed on January 25th.
“The second aircraft to take off today was brand new to the Air Force, we haven’t even had a chance to paint our unit insignia on the side,” said 1st Lt. Frances Dixon, the maintenance officer in charge with the 432nd Maintenance Group. The team brought six aircraft to Puerto Rico; their mission will provide 24 hour a day coverage over Haiti using two RQ-1′s, with the other four aircraft rotating into the orbit.
“Everyone involved in making this happen understood the urgency of getting this capability to the Joint Task Force,” said Maj. Bright. “We’re able to provide full motion video to the government of Haiti, U.S.A.I.D., U.S. military members, the United Nations, relief agencies and non-governmental organizations — anyone involved in helping the people of Haiti who has a need to access this video will be able to view, in real-time, where their services are needed.”
Pilots in Puerto Rico takeoff and land the aircraft, then aircrews at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., remotely fly the RQ-1 over Haiti via satellite while coordinating movements with relief teams on the ground. Real-time video from the aircraft is fed through a Distributed Ground Control Station at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., where technicians assist in analyzing and interpreting data and imagery. The video is simultaneously sent to end users via satellite. The systems will provide more than 20 hours of real-time video across the entire country of Haiti, and can move to any location to support emergency requests.
“The breakthrough of the RQ-1 is that a person on the ground can open their laptop, and watch the video in real-time, talk to the pilot and extend their vision beyond the horizon, over mountains, past roadblocks and into the regions cut off from support,” said Maj. Bright. “Our job is to get the RQ-1′s video camera where international aid workers cannot reach to identify people and places most in need.”
In order to meet the demand for imagery in Iraq and Afghanistan, RPAs involved in these operations were not affected by the team’s deployment. The aircraft deployed to Puerto Rico are used as training systems. “The students at the RPA schoolhouse already train 12 hours per day — in order to make this operation happen, we’ve extended the training day by 4 hours and will fly our remaining RQ-1s at Creech for more sorties per day.”
While RPAs often operate in military controlled ranges and on the battlefield, they only occasionally transit FAA-controlled airspace. Operating out of an international airport, alongside civilian air traffic, is a historic first, said Brig. Gen. Darryl Burke, the Air Forces Southern Vice Commander acting as the Air Component Coordination Element with JTF-Haiti.
“Today the Air Force team proved remotely piloted aircraft can operate safely alongside civilian, military and international air traffic during a large-scale air relief campaign,” said General Burke. “Together with our international partners and with the help of committed FAA administrators, the Air Force is ensuring every capability in our fleet can contribute to the continued success of JTF-Haiti.”
12th Air Force
by Capt. Nathan D. Broshear
12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern)
Table of contents for Haiti quake 2010
- Massive earthquake strikes Haiti
- Earthquake in Haiti – aftershocks continue
- Haiti earthquake aid
- Haiti quake damages pile up
- Horror in Haiti – the morning after the quake
- U.S. quickly responds to Haiti quake
- Infrastructure hurdles to Haiti quake relief
- U.S. Coast Guard on location in Haiti right now
- Strong aftershocks continue in Haiti
- PR Guard standing by – Gitmo damaged by Haiti quake
- Paras and Marines on alert for Haiti move
- Earthquake in Haiti update for January 13 evening
- Earthquake in Haiti – January 14 morning update
- Marines ready to assist Haiti after earthquake
- Earthquake in Haiti – Update for January 14 evening
- FEMA report on Haiti relief efforts for January 15
- Out of the night sky – Air Force secures Port-au-Prince airport
- Earthquake in Haiti – January 15 evening
- Haiti Quake Relief Funding Numbers
- But people are dying – thoughts on the Haitian disaster
- Aftershocks continue to rock Haiti
- Earthquake in Haiti – Update for January 16
- Haiti Quake Relief Funding Numbers for Jan 16
- Hospital ship Comfort sails for Haiti
- Baby delivered during Haiti evacuation
- Navy is delivering supplies to Haiti victims
- Hospital ship Comfort racing to Haiti
- Country club serves as forward base for Paras in Haiti
- Situation at Port-au-Prince airport improving
- Sanjay Gupta Assists Vinson Medical Team in Haiti
- USAID Update on the Haiti relief operation January 18
- Air drop to aid Haitian victims of earthquake
- Haiti Quake Relief Funding Numbers for Jan 18
- Earthquake in Haiti – morning update January 19
- Los Angeles rescuers save Haitian woman
- Stories from Haiti – update for Jan 20 morning
- American volunteers in Haiti
- American donations for Haiti earthquake relief – Jan 21
- Haiti earthquake relief update for Jan 21
- Haitians receiving care and support aboard Bataan
- Hospital ship Comfort healing, hugging Haitians
- Brief update on Navy and Marine relief efforts in Haiti Jan 23
- Fort Hood veterinary services unit sent to Haiti
- Harbor damage in Port-au-Prince
- American giving for Haiti relief as of January 25
- Comparison of Haiti donations to Katrina and the tsunami
- Haitian Coast Guard base becomes hub for quake relief
- Comparison of Haiti donations to Katrina and the tsunami Jan 28
- High tech warbird aids Haiti relief efforts
- High-speed ferrys en route to Haiti
- Southern Command briefs on Haiti situation
- Paras opening roads in Haiti
- Aid from Dominican Republic via Kentucky National Guard
- Haitian assistance stories for February 3
- Haitian relief efforts slow
- Marine calls Leogane Haiti home
- Haiti earthquake relief update for February 7
- Army medics at work in Haiti relief effort
- Haiti earthquake relief funding update for February 14
- Keeping Haitians informed
- A tent means a lot to Haitian orphans
- Italian troops aid paras in Haiti rubble clearance
- Landslide in Haiti tests Special Ops rescuers
- Navy and Marines bridge Haitian divide from government
- Haitian earthquake relief – update for February 28
- Haitian earthquake update – March 4
- Air Guard Engineers Help Haitians
- Things are baaaaad in Haiti
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Predators over Haiti
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 8:20 pm and is filed under Disasters, Military. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
