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![handle is hein.gao/gaobaabrj0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DOCURENT RESUSE
00097 - (A0751348]
Status of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Programs. PSAD-77-30;
B-163058. February 18, 1977. 9 pp.
Report to the Congress; by UEer 0. Staats# Comptroller General.
Issue Area: dilitary Preparedness Plans (800); Federal
Procurement of Goods and Services (1900);Pereral Procurement
of Goods and Sarvices: Notifying the Congress of Status of
Important Proclirement Programs (1905).
Contact: Procurepent and Systems Acquisition Div.
Budget Function: iationai Defense (050); National Defense:
Weapon Systems (057).
Organization Concerned: Department of Defense; Department of the
Air Force; Department of the Army; Lockheed Aircraft Corp.;
Boeing Co.; Teledyne Ryan Co.
Congressional Relevance: House Committee on Armed Services;
Senate Committee on krmed Services; Congress.
In the next 5 years, about $700 cillion will be spent
on remotely pilotei vehicles (RPY), primarily for two Air Force
projects--Compass Cope and Uultimission--and one Army
RPV--Aquila. These are being 4eveloped because Department of
Defense officials believe RPVs are able to perform high-risk and
politically sensitive missions more practically and
inexpensively ihan piloted aircralt. Compass Cope in a large,
high-altitude, long-range RPY, which is being developed at a
cost of $160 million. The multisission APT, called BGH-34C,
medium-sized and shortr&nge, is being develcped to replace
single-mission, electronic warfare and reconnaissance RP~s. An
advanced RPV is also being planned to replace t _- BGH-34C. The
kray's Aquila RPV is being developed to demonstrate the use of
small PVs for tactical surveillance and target identification.
Findings/Conclsions: The Compass Cope is in the developmental
stage, but production is planned for 1981, if funds are
available. The Defense Systems Acquisition Review Council, which
is supposed to review all major new systems three tines during
development, has not reviewed Compass Cope. The Tactical Air
Command, primary user cf t1iis RPV, has questioned the need for
it. indicating that existing aircraft can do the task as well
and as cheaply. Compass Cope may also have air-rights flyover
problems, but the countries involved and the Air Force think the
problem can be solved, possibly by onboard sensors to avoid
collisions. Half of the test flights of the BGN-34C have
resulted in missed midair retrieval, because of parachure
failure, but the damage has been minor. Preliminary performance
tests show the BGH-34C to fly faster and higher, and carry more
than the RPVs it will replace. Preliminary ccst studies indicate
that the BGH-34C is comparable to the RPVs it is replacing.
Development of its replacement is scheduled for 1980. a&ter
initial testing failures, the Army's Aquila was modified and has
been successfully tested, including seven automatic launch and](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaabrj0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)