European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday. August 8. 19b7 the stars and stripes Page 9 drone program reportedly delayed Eye in the sky tests disappointing Washington api the army n delaying full scale production of its be Aquila surveillance drone because the aircraft performed As expected in tests a Trade publication say. The lest program completed this Spring at f Ort Hood. Texas involved m3 different lights by the drones arc designed provide front line com Bat units with an to detect enemy tanks and help Suic artillery fire. According 10 defense week army soldiers still have problems launching and operating the drones and selecting a rims under certain circumstances. The tests did show however that Many of the hardware problems that have dogged the Aquila program since 1979 have been saved Ana once he drone finds 3 target it can guide artillery fire with deadly accuracy. The publication based ils report on unidentified Pentagon and congressional sources. The army refused to discuss any aspect of Ilie article thursday saying the lest results were still being reviewed Anil had not been cleared for Public release. Hugh Hunt a spokesman for the air s manufacturer. Lockheed corp., said the company was in a bind because a can t comment on something the army t in general though we were very pleased with the performance of the vehicle and look Forward to working with the army to bring this weapon system on the army had hoped to seek final approval from Pentagon brass this month til begin full scale production of the drone. That plan now been scrapped and a new round of operational tests is scheduled for the fall. Defense week said. Congress in reviewing the program last year specified that initial production funds could not be released until the army and Pentagon certified the Aquila had met All lest criteria. The development of the Aquila known formally As a remotely piloted vehicle or rpm so far Cost about $700 million. The drone resemble an oversee Model air plane and carries a to Caine in that relays pictures Back to ground controllers. The drone is launched from a flatbed Inick and recovered Wilh a net system fur reuse. It weighs about cd pounds at launch and can remain in the air fur roughly three hours. The army currently is planning spend $1.1 billion to acquire several Hundred of the drones. According to defense week which re ported on Ilie Aquila in its aug. .1 Issue the operational tests demonstrated that if he Amla were sent to an area where Margets were known to be located its to sensors and Crews could generally find those targets and successfully guide mis Sile or artillery fire. Bui if the Aquila were simply Dis patched on n general reconnaissance mis Sion the drone s Success rate in locating targets dropped significantly the publication reported. If you told the Aquila where the tar get was it blew the hell out of one congressional Souich was quoted a say ing. Hut if you said. To Over that Hill and find a Urgil it had tic publication also reported that army Crews Lead trouble performing i hair launch Dulick the i rows were supposed in catapult their drip pics in the air Al least pc percent no the Lime Wuhu one hour if re Civ ing a launch order. Ului the irn Ops me uni criterion Only .1 percent of the time the newsletter said. The sources also told the publication it appeared some of tin problems could Noi he blamed on the equipment. Army arc i were inadequately trained in the search techniques needed Foi employing the Aquila s sensors several Souter Weic quoted As saying. On the plus Side the Aquila was Alclo bring laser guided Copperhead Artil Lery shells within 165 feel Ofa stationary target on in of 12 attempts or 83 per cent of the time compared with a test goal of so percent. Unlike previous development tests the drones also completed the most re cent i flight series without a single crash. Survivors Tell of hell heroism aboard Stark Mayport is a. Api sailors who had practice leaving their bunks blindfolded scrambled in an inferno to save themselves and their ship after the guided missile frigate Stark was hit by two iraqi missiles in the persian Gulf crewmen said. Blackened bulkheads were still visible thursday almost two months after the ship was hit and 37 men were killed. Wires Hung Down in some spots and Alu Minum patches were visible on holes be tween the computer Center and the Cap lain i quarters. But on the outside reporters Given a tour saw Little evidence of the damage done by the May 17 attack the ship was saved from an even worse disaster by incredible feats of heroism crewmen said. No one was pre pared for the missile strikes but re actions were Quick the sailors said. I just heard a loud said senior chief Petty officer Calvin Al is of Hison Tenn. I knew exactly what it was because i d been in donning an oxygen mask Ellis worked Way out of quarters where several sailors had been killed. Only a week before the men had gone through a Drill in which they practice leaving their berths blindfolded. The sailors had to avoid debris live electrical wires and broken water pipes As they made their Way in safely. The first missile which did nut explode started an intense fire. Musi of the men were killed when the second oct excluded about 15 seconds later in an enlisted men s sleeping Areu with 00 triple decked berthing bunks. Of they were sleeping they were unable to escape from their Racks said Boatswain s mate jct i Cairn i f i Joni Beach. But it was t full capacity skip ing because of thew Ith rotation. The scum explosion caught a lot of people on i hair a wit he said others. It into the Ocean through the Niile Entrance Hole. Some no Wii ii escaped i a Inu Nve next to the Herb Jiejin tile Siw so. Ondov Between Ilie wit missile Enki s a surprising number of people nude it Oul of that berthing area in or jul Fig . You d been surprised How last people Tan run when the ate said . Call Luj Ranur. . Cd Harbour. Roll my systems Polcer Hoard to Stark Points to the Jim Ken Cut missiles struck the of. Oll inc aboard the . In have fone Loo. steel on Saul i Elv oitv.-. , Otichi Pill Oul or worse they struck Jim a ten s mls Hatch i her in the . The Nav Tutu ulker of milk samples lore or an inning the ship s i no ii Nup arlier in the 1 . The Navy ,-Hj,l.,n via. Recce a medal Fine he mrp Doc a h. A a a a spending in hours in a Mac i Uigum to in i missiles is .1 the ,-.ii ,-. Age Shin 1 Sci ii file no .1 Lin h.is us ,.i a Cis is 1 lie Hill Ranum in Mayport fill my ,. In in s i . Enu i. Whiee it Kinles svs Vitiel of do Mage if the heat Hail t ,., to Ilouise is i res , Ilu urn head u. A so upward ave Koo. Mies they lust exploded. S.,u i-.,.-.-. Nibal so Sims it the missiles Lead . In Nisi in ii Liui like Kul a
