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Raven-B UAV: small aircraft with huge capabilities

  • Published
  • By By Senior Airman Mindy Bloem
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq --  Because the Raven-B unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weighs only 4.2 pounds, has a 55 inch wingspan and measures 3 feet in length, its operators believe its unimpressive dimensions feed a common misconception. But don't let its looks fool you. It's tougher than it appears.

"People think it's a Styrofoam plane," said Master Sgt. Bryon Griffin, 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Raven-B NCOIC, deployed from Patrick AFB, Fla. "They think it's something you throw up in the air. Then it crashes and falls apart. But it's actually an innovative, technological aircraft that prevents people from getting injured outside the wire because we can provide the same footage and coverage from an aerial view instead of having personnel on the ground."

There are many different types of UAVs, ranging in size and capability, but the Air Force currently uses the Raven-B, a small type UAV equipped with cameras, sensors and communications tools for this role.
It's remotely piloted by a mission operator and vehicle operator who work side by side to coordinate on what they are seeing and where the vehicle needs to fly.

"They are like the pilot and navigator," explained Tech. Sgt. Ricardo De La Cruz, 506th ESFS Raven-B trainer, deployed from Patrick AFB, Fla. "The mission operator has a laptop computer system and acts as the navigator. He coordinates with the tower about the course the UAV will take and when it will fly for airspace purposes. The vehicle operator is the one who actually drives the aircraft."
The mission operator is able to track the aircraft on his laptop, which is indicated by a triangular shape blip on the screen.
This small type UAV is then used to perform critical missions in reconnaissance, surveillance, positive target identification and battle damage assessment both inside and outside the wire.

"Picture every single time something happens you have to send individuals outside the wire to assess the situation," said Sergeant De La Cruz. "This scenario poses a potential hazard to those individuals. But if we are able to launch the UAV from inside the wire and get the same information from an aerial view brought back to us in less time it takes people to mobilize a unit, that is huge. The unit would have to drive through the city very cautiously, but the UAV could just fly right over the area and get the same information."
Sergeant Griffin agrees.

"Not only does it save lives and reduce the risk of people getting injured but you still get the same footage, same surveillance, same area coverage, and you do it a lot quicker and a little more in detail," he said.

The unique capability this device brings to the mission is one reason why Sergeant Griffin enjoys what he does so much.

"This is something new for me as far as being a security forces guy doing ground pounding day to day," he said. "This gives me a better overall outlook on why we do what we do, and this UAV is just another tool we use as SF members to keep the mission up. It's a force multiplier and enhancer as far as base security."

Sergeant De La Cruz is just happy to play a part in keeping his fellow service members out of harm's way.
"We are all here together, and we all want to leave together," he said. "It's that total team concept, so if I can help out my team this way than I am definitely all for it."