Soldiers from North Carolina National Guard's Detachment 1, D Company 236th Brigade Engineer Battalion have conducted new equipment training (NET) for the latest RQ-7BV2 Shadow unmanned aerial system (UAS).
Conducted near Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the six-week NET provided an opportunity for soldiers to learn more about the new UAS, which has been upgraded to endure longer flights.
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The RQ-7BV2 Shadow complies with new Nato regulations that require all unmanned aircraft to have a certain level of interoperability and communications security.
Detachment 1 Commander Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen Isaacs said: "The Shadow as a platform brings reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, which gives us capabilities for our military intelligence company in support of the 30th Brigade.
"The V2 gives us a much larger range. It gives us a longer flight time, which also gives us more time to be on target."
The UAS is claimed to provide near-real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, as well as intelligence, battle damage assessment, and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities.
The system is compatible with all-source analysis systems, advanced field artillery tactical data solutions, joint surveillance radar systems, common ground stations, defence information infrastructure, and the universal ground control station (UGCS).
With a wingspan of 20ft, the RQ-7Bv2 Shadow can be transported by six Air Force C-130 aircraft.
Image: A RQ-7BV2 Shadow UAS propels off its launcher at about 80mph at an airfield near Fort Bragg. Photo: courtesy of US Army / Staff Sgt. Mary Junell.
