Us Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft And Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Strategic Vision

The U.S. Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Strategic Vision (hereafter referred to as The Strategic Vision) examines the future role of Air Force remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their integration with other Air Force and joint systems. The Strategic Vision is presented in five sections. Section I presents an overview of the modern history of RPA and UAV development to provide context for the current situation. Section II describes the current convergence of factors that make RPAs and UAVs attractive investments today. Section III examines the RPA and UAV attributes that make RPAs and UAVs effective platforms for various missions. Attributes such as persistence and versatility contribute to highly capable systems improving the way we currently operate and allow us to do things previously impossible or impractical. Section IV outlines some of the challenges facing RPA and UAV developers, operators, and planners. These challenges include budgetary constraints, training and organizational issues, and policy and legal issues. Section IV also suggests methods for addressing these challenges. Section V describes the strategic vision of integrated RPAs and UAVs contributing to a more effective and efficient fighting force, and presents a series of recommendations to guide the development and integration of Air Force RPAs and UAVs into Air Force and joint plans, operations, and capabilities over the next 20-25 years.