53rd Wing assists with Blue Knight 2010

  • Published
  • By Army Sgt. Josh LeCappelain
  • USJFCOM Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev . --  Two units in the 53rd Wing, headquartered at Eglin AFB, Fla., assisted with an unmanned aircraft system demonstration testing U.S. manned and unmanned joint force capabilities against airborne UAS.

The Blue Knight 2010 demonstration, led by the U.S. Joint Unmanned Aircraft System Center of Excellence, focused on the future of UAS, particularly looking at the vision of joint force operations and developing tactics, techniques and procedures to improve ability of joint warfighters to operate and to understand capabilities of adversary UAS.

"This [was] the first live constructed demonstration," said Navy Capt. Greg Maguire, JUAS COE Concepts Division chief. "We're [tested] unmanned platforms in alignment with the service's vision for UAS warfare. This gives us a chance to examine our capabilities to operate in this environment."

Blue Knight 2010 employed several joint manned and unmanned aircraft including F-22A, F-15, F-15E, A-10C and F-16C AH-64 Longbow Apache, MQ-1 Predators, MQ-9 Reapers, Navy F/A-18E/F and E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar Systems.

The 53rd Wing's units participating in the test were the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron and the 53rd Test Management Group's Detachment 4.

The detachment manages all Predators and Reaper operational testing.

"Any time new hardware or software is designed for either RPA platform, we are the final checkpoint prior to fielding to ensure the system satisfies the needs of the warfighter," said 1st Lt. Matthew Williams, Det. 4 project manager Blue Knight 2010.

The 59th TES handles planning and execution of operational tests for A-10, F-15C, F-15E, F-16 and F-22A weapons systems, armament, avionics, life support and
automated mission planning.

The group also determines operational effectiveness and suitability of newly acquired weapons systems in an operational environment, according to 1st Lt. Blair Negron, 59th TES operation analysts. Finally, the squadron develops future combat employment techniques.

"Given the continuous development of UAS around the world, the services have recognized the need to continue to study them and understand what they can and can't do," Capt. Maguire added. "Our goal [was] to identify our capabilities, and to test and refine our procedures. We're going to be doing that in one-on-one capability tests, including unmanned vs. unmanned, and identifying how joint forces can work together to detect, identify, track and defeat UAS.

"JUAS COE recognizes the need to continue to study the abilities of UAS in different scenarios. We want to integrate what we are doing here into future exercises for all combatant commanders," he added. "We want to bring more refined and robust UAS exercise capabilities to them. This is just the next step in that continuing evolution."