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Background
— Canadian Forces Trials UAV — CU-163 Altair |
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"A Borrower is never seen ... and very good at climbing!" — an
Altair for Hire [1]
Between 22 August and 31 August 2004, the CFEC (Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre) tested a single CU-163
Altair UAV from CFB Goose Bay.[2] Despite its being
given a CF designation and serial number (163301), the Altair was not purchased by DND. Instead,
this aircraft (like I-GNAT before it ) was on a short-term lease
from its US manufacturer General Atomics - the company having announced being awarded a DND contract in February of
2004.
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ALIX "looks another way; Alas and well a day!"
These CFEC tests were part of ALIX the Atlantic Littoral ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Recon- naissance)
Experiment'. Three different scenarios were tested – a recce in support of EX Narwhal in
Nunavut, a maritime surveillance and targeting mission in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (followed by an
overflight of CFB Gagetown where the Altair was operated alongside the CU-167 mini-UAVs) , then a final ISR mission over the Grand Banks.[3]
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Altair involvement in ALIX was DND's chance to 'kick the tires' of a MALE (or medium-altitude, long-endurance) UAV with little
risk. ALIX testing for any holes in ISR which could hamper CF " network-enabled
operations ".
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[1] The manufacturer regarded their aircraft as a Mariner demonstrator since the UAV was fitted with a
Telephonics APS-143 multi-mode maritime search radar in its belly pod. However, the UAV actually belongs to
NASA who regard it as an Altair scientific research aircraft.
[2] After launching, the control of the UAV and its sensors was passed to a remote-operations centre in Ottawa
through a satellite uplink.
[2] DND described this as a "maritime surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting mission" which
illustrates a limitation with patrol UAVs. If an CU-163 on a routine patrol were to identify a threat, who exactly
is its targeting data passed to? Had such a mission been flown by a manned aircraft, an attack could be mounted if
necessary. UAVs are more security camera than guards on watchtowers. The Altair can be fitted with the same
weapons pylons on its short-spanned MQ-9 Predator-B cousins but the UAV
would be trading range for weapons.
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