UASUV 2017 Med Unmanned Vehicles Technology | Page 20

According to the technology trends, UV’s, in near future are going to have longer endurance batteries,
better fuel efficiencies, better stealth technologies and better sense and avoid systems. Future UV’s
aregoing to be multi-mission oriented, cheaper, smaller, lighter, more efficient, with capable sensors
and more onboard computing power. Their survivability will be greatly improved (stealthy, stand-off,
longer-range weapons, longer-range communications e.tc.) and they are going to have access to a
tactical network system capable of satisfying Service, Joint, Interagency, and Coalition tactical
information exchanges.
Lets now refer to some facts:
In 2014 $13 million worth of UAVs were sold on Ebay alone. Some 30,000 unmanned watercraft are
expected to be built over the next decade at a cost of over US$15 billion. Over 600,000 UAS have been
already deployed for commercial use. In addition, 1.9 million UAS are expected to be in recreational
use. The number of UAS is set to triple by 2020. According to the US Department of Defense China
alone is looking to produce 42,000 unmanned air and maritime systems between 2014 and 2023.
The European Defense Agency is sponsoring pan-European research and development for both military
and civilian drones. The European Space Agency is funding and undertaking research into the satellites
and communications infrastructure used to fly drones. FRONTEX is keen to deploy surveillance drones
along the EU’s borders for migrants and refugees. Within 20 years, the European drone sector is
expected to directly employ more than 100,000 people and will have an economic impact exceeding
EUR 10 billion per year, mainly in services.
Since the technology is “interoperable” – meaning civil and military drones will share much of the
infrastructure that they need to fly – support for companies developing civilian drones inevitably
benefits the manufacturers of the military drones.
If in any country’s armed forces there is not a dynamic transformation procedure, exploiting innovation
and new technologies, then there is a great probability that these armed forces will fight their future
war with the conditions of the last and that is a formula for failure. All the above capabilities and
missions of UV’s, seems that create a new era in strategic, operational and tactical level. That leads to
an immediate obligation, for our own armed forces to reevaluate the potential adversaries capabilities
and possible actions, to exploit to the maximum possible level these new technologies and accordingly
to review the armed forces Force Structure, Command Structure, operational and tactical planning, the
acquisition programs and the training procedures. UV’s technology creates also new opportunities for
domestic defense industry. Of course to grasp any opportunities requires a strategic vision and quick
and coordinated decisions, because opportunities do not wait for ever.
An indication of HEL.I.S.S’s interest, is its participation in this conference with four lecturers and is
always available to contribute to any possible initiative to this direction.
I wish that this meeting will be beneficial for every service, company or physical person engaged to the
subject of UV’s.
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