Shadows over Afghanistan – Unmanned System, October 2009

I wrote this article (which you can download), based on my experience leading the Army’s first RQ-7 “Shadow” platoon in Afghanistan. I think it has overall aged pretty well.

Particularly the idea that robotic aviation allows support to be pushed closer to the units needing aerial support is a still a valid one. Low level coordination seems to be one the principal advantages that Western forces have over adversaries in the current conflicts.

I did not foresee the rise of the one-way-attack drone and the idea that there is now a continuum between munitions and drones. I still believe there maybe valid organizational reasons to keep reconnaissance assets in separate units from strike units — even if they closely coordinate as discussed in the article.