Sniper Spotting UAV

[Kirkhill]

Here's an example of a potentially very interesting amalgamation of existing technologies.

Putting a sniper detecting acoustic system on a UAV - as soon as the shot is fired the sensor head pivots to the point of origin and the UAV immediately flies there then observes the area, potentially tracking the fleeing sniper.

New Technology Expands Air Force's Combat Capability
 
 
(Source: US Air Force; issued Jan. 24, 2007)
 
 
 
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --- The 820th Security Forces Group was selected recently as the first Air Force unit to purchase and deploy the Ground Situational Awareness Toolkit. 

The GSAT system, consisting of the Scan Eagle unmanned aerial system and ShotSpotter gunfire acquisition technology, will allow Airmen to identify possible enemy firing locations by tracking where shots are coming from. 

"This system brings additional technology to the ground war-fighter and keeps us at the cutting edge of technological improvements," said Col. John Decknick, 820th SFG commander. "Employing the GSAT system in the combat zone will greatly expand our combat capability." 

While the 820th SFG will be the first Air Force unit to conduct a user evaluation of the GSAT system, its two components, Scan Eagle and ShotSpotter, are not new to the military. Scan Eagle has logged more than 20,000 hours, supporting Navy and Marine missions in Iraq, and ShotSpotter is used by both law enforcement and military agencies. 

ShotSpotter uses acoustic sensors, located on the backs of patrolling Airmen and Humvees, to detect the location of enemy muzzle blasts and, in some cases, the path of the fired projectiles. This information is then passed to on-the-ground commanders for analysis. It is also shared with an overhead Scan Eagle, which then directs its advanced cameras to the area, giving a picture of the enemy's location. 

Scan Eagle, which measures four feet long with a 10-foot wingspan, is launched by a catapult system and has an approximate 20-hour flight time. 

"This technology will allow us to observe enemy locations and activity, and conduct long-term surveillance and reconnaissance," 2nd Lt. Ben Worley, an 820th SFG intelligence officer, said of the GSAT's capabilities. "It also provides better situational awareness (of the battlespace) to our commanders. 

"With the variety of missions we conduct while deployed, having an overhead capability allows us to better prosecute our mission and protect our Airmen," he said. 

To prepare for GSAT's arrival in early March, three Airmen are traveling to Clovis, N.M., for eight weeks of training on how to operate the system. This also will include how to maintain GSAT, allowing the 820th SFG Airmen to be self-sufficient. 

In order to fully use GSAT on its own, 820th SFG officials are also sending two maintainers and an intelligence Airman to Clovis to attend shorter training courses on maintaining the systems and analyzing the information they provide. 

Once training is completed and GSAT arrives at Moody, the 820th SFG Airmen will begin incorporating it into the unit's ground training. This also will allow officials to evaluate the GSAT while performing the various missions it may encounter when deployed. 

After the evaluation of GSAT is concluded, the equipment will be matched with one of the unit's deploying squadrons. 

-ends- 

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.16851726.1133540294.Q5BzxsOa9dUAAHeSPdQ&modele=jdc_34

 

[mckee19]

good reading, sounds like it would cost a pretty penny but u cant put a price on knowing where the bullets are coming from. I'm thinking this thing could save civilian lives by pin pointing exactly where the fire is coming from.
not sure but isn't there a post on this already? might be mistaken but i thought i ran across it somewhere on here

 

[Can-american]

Interesting you bring this up, my Battalion was on a field focus training with Bradley assistance and I was talking to my FSG, about sniper placement and how I would create disturbance to the troops and we talked of IR and the upcoming ability of this technology, good read. CNN later I learned also placed a document out on their news program.  Take care Can-Am

 

[STA Gunner]

Here's an example of a potentially very interesting amalgamation of existing technologies.

Putting a sniper detecting acoustic system on a UAV - as soon as the shot is fired the sensor head pivots to the point of origin and the UAV immediately flies there then observes the area, potentially tracking the fleeing sniper.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.16851726.1133540294.Q5BzxsOa9dUAAHeSPdQ&modele=jdc_34

Are you proposing putting it on the AV?

My read of the article is that the AV is on station above a camp, for example,  and the acoustic sensors are on the ground.  The ground based sensors tri-laterate the sound location and cue the AV onto that location.

I don't believe an acoustic sensor on the AV will work.  It must be from ground based microphones.

Cheers

 

[Kirkhill]

Are you proposing putting it on the AV?

My read of the article is that the AV is on station above a camp, for example,  and the acoustic sensors are on the ground.  The ground based sensors tri-laterate the sound location and cue the AV onto that location.

I don't believe an acoustic sensor on the AV will work.  It must be from ground based microphones.

Cheers

Actually Gunner that is the way that I (mis)read the article.  I guess I extrapolated too far.  I thought they were taking two systems (Shot Spotter and the UAV) and physically marrying the two.  My error.  Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[Expendme]

It would be interesting to have, however there would be some limitations..  in the middle of a gun fight how would they be able to pick up the snipers sounds?  i'm no military person yet but in the middle of a gun battle i would think it would be quite hard to pick it up unless they record the sounds of every sniper rifle in the world..  i might be spouting crap here but i dont think it would work too good, thermal imageing would probably be better..

 

[1feral1]

.......i would think it would be quite hard to pick it up unless they record the sounds of every sniper rifle in the world.....

???

Yes mate, you are spoutuing crap.

Recording sounds of every sniper in the world. Come off it, your point does not make any sense whatsoever.

UAVs are a common scene on the battlefield. All shapes and sizes.  During the Battle of Hiapha Street in Baghdad, we obseved these small white craft, buzzing about like a lawnmower 'in heat', as they were collecting info in real time as the battle raged around us, feeding it all back to the 'decision makers'.  They were high, and out of SAF range. Soon after these little guys FO'd, sometimes precison wpns made their mark, or the gunships would come in and hose 'em down. We heard it all.

The true believers had been sniping from a building, one JDAM not only ruined their day, and left a pile of smoking concrete. The sniping stopped (from there anyways).

Those were wild times.

This was about 5 months ago, and I have no idea if they were using the UAVs along with spotters, either way UAVs have their place.


Regards,

Wes