RQ-16 T-Hawk
Encyclopedia
The Honeywell RQ-16A T-Hawk (for "Tarantula hawk
", a wasp species) is a ducted fan
VTOL
micro
UAV
. Developed by Honeywell
, it is suitable for backpack deployment and single-person operation.
Defense and Space Electronic Systems in 2003, the MAV project was transferred to United States Army
's Future Combat System (FCS) program to fulfill the need for Class I platoon
-level drone. In May 2006, Honeywell was awarded a $61 million contract to develop an advanced MAV with extended endurance and heavy-fuel engine.
In 2007, the United States Navy
awarded Honeywell a $7.5 million contract for 20 G-MAVs (denoting the use of a gasoline engine
) for deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Multi-Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group. The hovering feature of MAV has been critical for U.S. forces in Iraq that search for roadside bombs
. Military convoys have been using MAVs to fly ahead and scan the roads. A MAV’s benefit is its ability to inspect a target — a suspicious vehicle, structure, or disturbed earth — from close range, covering ground much more quickly than an unmanned ground vehicle and without putting people at risk.
The Iraq trials were so successful that the U.S. Navy placed a surprise order for 372 MAVs, designated RQ-16A T-Hawk, in January 2008. The 186 MAV systems will each consist of two air vehicles and one ground station. In January 2009, the United Kingdom
was reported to have ordered five complete T-Hawk systems for delivery by 2010. In April 2010, Honeywell conducted demonstrations of the T-Hawk's at the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College, Kanker, Chattisgarh. As a result Indian security forces are set to conduct user trials.
operation is subject to a maximum wind speed of 15 knots. Sensors include one forward and one downward looking daylight or IR cameras
.
-type carriers.
This micro air vehicle
operates in open, rolling, complex and urban terrains with a vertical take-off and landing
capability. It is interoperable with select ground and air platforms and controlled by mounted or dismounted soldiers. The Class I uses autonomous flight and navigation, but it will interact with the network and Soldier to dynamically update routes and target information. It provides dedicated reconnaissance support and early warning to the smallest echelons of the Brigade Combat Team
(BCT) in environments not suited to larger assets.
The Class I system provides a hover and stare capability that is not currently available in the Army UAV inventory for urban and route surveillance. The Class I system also fills known gaps that exist in force operations, such as: Protect Force in Counterinsurgency (COIN
) Operations, Soldier Protection in COIN environment, Ability to Conduct Joint Urban Operations, Enhanced ISR/RSTA
Capabilities, Hover and Stare operations.
The Class I UAV is part of Spin Out 1 and has entered evaluation by Soldiers at the Army Evaluation Task Force (AETF). It will be fielded to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams
(IBCT) starting in 2011.
On Friday, June 24, a T-Hawk apparently crash-landed on the roof of the number 2 reactor building at Fukushima.
Tarantula hawk
A tarantula hawk is a spider wasp which hunts tarantulas as food for its larvae. Tarantula hawks belong to any of the many species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis in the family Pompilidae ....
", a wasp species) is a ducted fan
Ducted fan
A ducted fan is a propulsion arrangement whereby a fan, which is a type of propeller, is mounted within a cylindrical shroud or duct. The duct reduces losses in thrust from the tip vortices of the fan, and varying the cross-section of the duct allows the designer to advantageously affect the...
VTOL
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
micro
Micro air vehicle
A micro air vehicle , or micro aerial vehicle , is a class of unmanned aerial vehicles that has a size restriction and may be autonomous. Modern craft can be as small as 15 centimetres...
UAV
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
. Developed by Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, it is suitable for backpack deployment and single-person operation.
Development
The Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) program was launched by the DARPA. Following a $40 million technology demonstration contract to HoneywellHoneywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
Defense and Space Electronic Systems in 2003, the MAV project was transferred to United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Future Combat System (FCS) program to fulfill the need for Class I platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
-level drone. In May 2006, Honeywell was awarded a $61 million contract to develop an advanced MAV with extended endurance and heavy-fuel engine.
In 2007, the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
awarded Honeywell a $7.5 million contract for 20 G-MAVs (denoting the use of a gasoline engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
) for deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Multi-Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group. The hovering feature of MAV has been critical for U.S. forces in Iraq that search for roadside bombs
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
. Military convoys have been using MAVs to fly ahead and scan the roads. A MAV’s benefit is its ability to inspect a target — a suspicious vehicle, structure, or disturbed earth — from close range, covering ground much more quickly than an unmanned ground vehicle and without putting people at risk.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was reported to have ordered five complete T-Hawk systems for delivery by 2010. In April 2010, Honeywell conducted demonstrations of the T-Hawk's at the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College, Kanker, Chattisgarh. As a result Indian security forces are set to conduct user trials.
Design
The gasoline engine powered RQ-16 is reported to weigh 8.4 kilograms (18.5 lb), have an endurance of around 40 minutes, 10500 feet (3,200.4 m) ceiling and an operating radius of about 6 nautical miles (11.1 km). Forward speeds up to 70 knots have been achieved, but the G-MAV is operationally restricted to 50 knots by software. VTOLVTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
operation is subject to a maximum wind speed of 15 knots. Sensors include one forward and one downward looking daylight or IR cameras
Thermographic camera
A thermographic camera or infrared camera is a device that forms an image using infrared radiation, similar to a common camera that forms an image using visible light...
.
U.S. Army service
Designated XM156 (or Class I) by the United States Army, the aircraft was intended to provide the dismounted soldier with Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) and laser designation. Total system weight, which includes the air vehicle, a control device, and ground support equipment is less than 51 pounds (23.1 kg) and is back-packable in two custom MOLLEMOLLE (military)
MOLLE |female name]]) is an acronym for MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and rucksacks utilized by the United States armed forces, especially the United States Army, and its use is also growing in the British Army in...
-type carriers.
Micro air vehicle
A micro air vehicle , or micro aerial vehicle , is a class of unmanned aerial vehicles that has a size restriction and may be autonomous. Modern craft can be as small as 15 centimetres...
operates in open, rolling, complex and urban terrains with a vertical take-off and landing
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
capability. It is interoperable with select ground and air platforms and controlled by mounted or dismounted soldiers. The Class I uses autonomous flight and navigation, but it will interact with the network and Soldier to dynamically update routes and target information. It provides dedicated reconnaissance support and early warning to the smallest echelons of the Brigade Combat Team
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
(BCT) in environments not suited to larger assets.
The Class I system provides a hover and stare capability that is not currently available in the Army UAV inventory for urban and route surveillance. The Class I system also fills known gaps that exist in force operations, such as: Protect Force in Counterinsurgency (COIN
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
) Operations, Soldier Protection in COIN environment, Ability to Conduct Joint Urban Operations, Enhanced ISR/RSTA
ISTAR
ISTAR stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing the information they gather.Information is collected on...
Capabilities, Hover and Stare operations.
The Class I UAV is part of Spin Out 1 and has entered evaluation by Soldiers at the Army Evaluation Task Force (AETF). It will be fielded to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
(IBCT) starting in 2011.
Civilian Application at Disaster Site
On Friday, April 15, 2011, a T-hawk drone was used to conduct surveillance of the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power station. This nuclear plant suffered severe damage as a result of a devastating earthquake and tsunami which struck the east coast of Japan one month earlier. The damage resulted in several of the reactors at the facility undergoing partial meltdown, releasing radioactivity into the local area. The radiation leaks were thousands of times above the safe limit for exposure, making the area unsafe for human habitation. The radiation was intense enough to make even short-term exposure hazardous, preventing people from going in to assess the damage. The T-hawk drone took numerous photographs of the damaged reactor housings, turbine buildings, spent nuclear fuel rod containment pools, and associated facilities damaged by the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent hydrogen gas explosions at the facility. This allowed Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) to better determine where the radioactive leaks were coming from and how to best deal with them.On Friday, June 24, a T-Hawk apparently crash-landed on the roof of the number 2 reactor building at Fukushima.