We’ve mentioned the Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program in the past. Remember the Vuzix Next Generation Display Technology we wrote about last Spring? It’s a major enabling technology but there’s still a lot going on.
Raytheon is the prime for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) PCAS program which is intended to allow the joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) the ability to rapidly engage multiple, moving and simultaneous targets within his area of responsibility. Additionally, the system will be designed to reduce collateral damage and potential fratricide to friendly forces. What’s more, PCAS is taking a ‘system-of-systems’ approach demonstrating the ability to digitally task a CAS platform from the ground.
DARPA’s been working the software, man-machine interface and JTAC portions of the program hard. The missing piece has been the aircraft in the loop. Recently, Aurora Flight Sciences was chosen to convert an A-10 CAS platform into an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) which may well be the most ambitious element of the program. Despite the Air Force’s long-term goal of retiring the most successful CAS aircraft ever built, ground forces are one step closer to controlling their own CAS. We foresee a day where ground force commanders own purpose-built CAS platforms controlled by non-rated JTACs.
