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Thank you for the proposal. It is one we have under review for certain capabilities needed for the air force, but I am sure you will appreciate that UAVs cannot undertake all missions that a manned combat aircraft can at least at this stage of development. Max Bradford MP -----Original
Message----- Here is an idea on how to provide a cost effective air combat solution for NZ. The US is already developing the system I will talk about. The current problem is that we need to maintain not only aircraft, but the pilots who fly the combat aircraft. To train and maintain pilot skill you need to use real combat aircraft - which is very expensive. In addition we currently purchase technology from overseas. I believe there are the skills and resources within New Zealand to create an Unmanned Arial Vechile - or UAV. The technologies for doing this are now getting to the point of being trivial. The advantage of UAV's are as follows: 1. Initial Cost. Each UAV is much cheaper to build than a manned combat aircraft. If built in NZ there would also be no money going to overseas or at least less than purchasing complete aircraft. If we build our own there might even be an opportunity to sell the UAV's to our friends like Australia, and make a PROFIT! 2. Ongoing Cost. As UAV's are unmanned, they do not require pilots to be continually trained. The personnel required to control the aircraft missions can be trained on the ground on the actual equipment used in a combat situation at minimal cost. They do not require infrastructure such as runways, or large air force bases. They do not require large maintenance crews. 3. Combat Effectivness. Potentially UAV's are much better at 'dogfighting' than a manned aircraft. Without a requirement to have a pilot the aircraft can be designed to turn tighter, fly faster, and be much lighter. New technologies can also mean that the onboard computers are faster and more capable than any human. 4. Less Infrastructure. UAV's could be launched vertically from hidden locations, much like a rocket. This means that if the enemy takes out runways and other infrastructure we still have an ability to fight. UAV's would however be able to return - perhaps by parachute - to be rearmed for further missions, unlike cruise missiles which are similar to UAV's. 5. Multiple Roles. UAV's could be configured for various missions, such as air defence, costal defence, and ground attack, with a variety of weapons packages - such as air to air missiles, torpedos, and large bombs. 6. No risk to human life (at least not on our side). UAV's can be shot down without risk to a pilots life. I personally know that there are expertise within NZ to make such a project happen. The skills around fibreglass boatbuilding for example can be used to create fibreglass planes. I personally have the skills to develop the computer systems required to fly the aircraft, other individuals have skills in jet engine design. It is said that NZ can't afford a defence force with sufficient ability to prevent a determined force. I believe 100 UAV's would probably be quite a force. They could do substantial damage to aircraft and shipping that approach NZ in anger. They could make control of NZ skies impossible and make troop landings by air impossible - or at least a very dangerous operation - since there would be no way to know how many UAV's were left. Naturally not having heroic human pilots at the controls is not as romantic as having machines at the controls, but it makes alot of economic and strategic sense. If I were to put a price on this project, I would say $20 Million for initial reseach and development, and somewhere between $2-3 Million per aircraft. A team of say 50 - 60 engineers, would cost about $5 Million each year to maintain the aircraft. New Technologies - New Solutions Peter Harrison |