UAV sensor and survivability issues

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/366505· OSTI ID:366505

Canavan, G H

This report discusses the most significant tradeoffs between the operating altitude and the complexity and cost of UAVs and sensors. Low altitudes allow less complex, smaller sensors and platforms, but are vulnerable to ground fire. High altitudes require more numerous and capable sensors, but provide wider swaths for more rapid coverage and reduced vulnerability to ground fire. It is shown that for mission requirements and air defenses that higher is not necessarily better and that optimal flight altitudes exist that can be determined analytically.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 366505
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-96-2788; ON: DE96014569; TRN: 96:005145
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Jul 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
PERFORMANCE
VULNERABILITY
ALTITUDE
COST
RADAR
CALCULATION METHODS
AIRCRAFT
PROBABILITY