Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
Could information from future robotic warfighters be "browsed" and "surfed" in ways familiar to any Internet user? The Loitering Electronic Warfare Killer (LEWK), a joint program between the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and United States European Command (EUCOM), is poised to help answer that question. LEWK is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will carry a standard sensor and communications package, along with a flexible payload that can include a variety of weapons or jamming technology.
The Air Force's Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) will be controlled by a new type of hybrid warfighter, according to Project Manager Lt. Col. Mike Leahy. "We suspect it's got to be someone with some air sense," said Leahy. "But will it be a pilot as we traditionally know it - I don't think so." The UCAV's console operator, or "battle manager," will operate up to four vehicles at once from an internet-enabled console. The system will utilize Link 16 protocols to provide interoperability with other systems.
The Marine Corps' new AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopter will soon begin an extensive series of flight tests at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. The first AH-1Z helicopter arrived at Pax River on Saturday, and the tests are scheduled to last through November of next year. Ground turns will begin next week, with data flights scheduled to start the week of April 16th. A typical flight duration will be 1.5 hours. April 16th start
