{"id":22901,"date":"2019-05-14T20:22:51","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T20:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/14\/the-corps-is-working-on-an-advanced-reconnaissance-drone-that-will-be-launched-out-the-back-of-the-mv-22-osprey\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:37:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:37:23","slug":"the-corps-is-working-on-an-advanced-reconnaissance-drone-that-will-be-launched-out-the-back-of-the-mv-22-osprey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/unmanned\/2019\/05\/14\/the-corps-is-working-on-an-advanced-reconnaissance-drone-that-will-be-launched-out-the-back-of-the-mv-22-osprey\/","title":{"rendered":"The Corps is working on an advanced reconnaissance drone that will be launched out the back of the MV-22 Osprey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For years, the Corps has sought ways to upgrade the capabilities of its tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey<\/a>, as the lightly armed aircraft is a big target and is vulnerable to attack, especially when landing and extracting ground forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the Corps is looking at a drone that can be launched out of the back of an MV-22 Osprey to provide advanced reconnaissance of potential enemy threats to the aircraft, according officials at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s called the Air-Launched Fast Autonomous Reconnaissance System, or AFARS, and according to details provided by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. The air-launched drone has a maximum range of 165 nautical miles and a 100 nautical mile range with a 10 minute loiter time on station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Warfighting Lab, the AFARS system can maintain a line-of-sight data link capability within a 50 nautical mile radius, providing pilots potentially lifesaving intelligence of ground based threats miles before the crew reaches their target destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
U.S. Marines and sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit board an MV-22 Osprey on April 12, 2019, after completing embassy reinforcement training during an exercise at Camp Beuhring, Kuwait. (Sgt. Aaron Henson\/Marine Corps)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 6-foot-long drone can fly at an altitude of 25,000 feet and carry a payload of up to 4.4 pounds, potentially providing other kinetic strike capabilities or sensors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the latest effort by the Corps to bridge some key vulnerabilities of the MV-22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Corps was seeking to up-gun its tilt-rotor by creating a gunship variant<\/a> that could provide escort capability. Forward-firing rockets were being considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, according to Naval Air Systems Command, the Corps abandoned its search for a new weapon systems in favor of upgrading the underbelly GAU-17, 7.62 mm mini-gun known as the Defensive Weapon System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous testing of the Defense Weapon System in 2015 highlighted some fields of fire limitations as a result of damage found on the fuselage of several test aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Corps\u2019 Osprey has an escort gap, the Marine Corps at times has partnered with Air Force A-10 Warthogs to address the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Colin B. Kennard, a spokesman for Marine Aircraft Group 24, previously told Marine Corps Times that the A-10 is the \u201cpreferred escort platform\u201d and that the aircraft is \u201ccommonly paired\u201d with the Osprey when conducting evacuations and extractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A-10 has escorted the Corps\u2019 Ospreys in support of anti-ISIS missions in Iraq and Syria, Kennard said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t