AAI RQ-2 Pioneer

RQ-2 Pioneer
RQ-2 Pioneer
	RQ-2 Pioneer
General information
Type	Reconnaissance UAV
National origin	Israel/United States
Manufacturer	AAI Corporation,Israel Aircraft Industries
Number built	175 delivered; 35 in service
History
Introduction date	1986
Retired	2007
Developed into	AAI RQ-7 Shadow

TheAAI RQ-2 Pioneeris anunmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) that was used by theUnited States Navy,Marine Corps,andArmy,and deployed at sea and on land from 1986 until 2007. Initially tested aboardUSSIowa,the RQ-2 Pioneer was placed aboardIowa-class battleshipsto provide gunnery spotting, its mission evolving intoreconnaissanceand surveillance, primarily foramphibious forces.

It was developed jointly byAAI CorporationandIsrael Aircraft Industries.The program grew out of successful testing and field operation of theTadiran MastiffUAV by theAmericanandIsraelimilitaries.^[1]

Essentially, the Pioneer is an upgradedIAI Scoutwhich was re-engined to accommodate a greater payload by request of the US Navy. To accomplish this, the original "Limbach" two-cylinder two-stroke engine was replaced with a Fichtel & Sachs two-cylinder two-stroke. The Limbach motor used a 71 cm propeller from Propeller Engineering and Duplicating, Inc. of San Clemente, California. The newer, more powerful Fichtel & Sachs motor was outfitted with a 74 cm propeller (which spins in the opposite direction) from theSensenich Propeller Manufacturing Companyof Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Operation

An RQ-2B on the tarmac

Crewmen recover an RQ-2 Pioneer aboardUSSIowa(BB-61)

Launched byrocket assist(shipboard), bycatapult,or from arunway,the Pioneer recovers into a net (shipboard) or witharresting gearafter flying up to five hours with a 75-pound (34 kg) payload. It flies day or night missions with agimbaledEO/IR sensor, relaying analog video in real time via aC-bandline-of-sight (LOS) data link. Since 1991, Pioneer has flown reconnaissance missions during thePersian Gulf,Somalia(UNOSOM II),Bosnia,KosovoandIraqconflicts. In 2005, theNavyoperated two Pioneer systems (one for training) and the Marines operated two, each with five or more aircraft. It is also operated by Israel and theRepublic of Singapore Air Force.In 2007 Pioneer was retired by the US Navy and was replaced by theShadow UAV.

Internationally, Pioneer drones are perhaps most remembered for their role in the 1991Gulf War,when a Pioneer launched by theIowa-class battleship USSWisconsin(BB-64)observed Iraqi troops onFailaka Islandsurrendering shortly afterUSSMissouri's attack on their trenchlines. When navy officials offered to transfer a Pioneer to theSmithsonian Institution,curators at theNational Air and Space Museumspecifically asked for the UAV that Iraqi troops surrendered to during the Gulf War.^[2]

In the 1991 Gulf War, the US Army operated aUAV Platoonfrom Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. The UAV Platoon conducted flight surveillance and target acquisition missions from KKMC and later, the unit pushed north (Operation Sand Hawk) where US Army combat engineers built a metal runway for the aircraft to launch and recover.^[3]

The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "2" refers to its being the second of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems.

Specifications (RQ-2)

Primary Function:Artillery Targeting and Acquisition,ControlofClose Air Support,ReconnaissanceandSurveillance,Battle Damage Assessment,Search and Rescue,Psychological Operations

RQ-2B Pioneer

Data from^{[citation needed]}

General characteristics

Length:4.3 m (14 ft)
Wingspan:5.151 m (16 ft 10.8 in)
Height:1.006 m (3 ft 3.6 in)
Airfoil:NACA 4415^[4]
Gross weight:205 kg (452 lb)
Fuel capacity:44 to 47 L (11.6 to 12.4 US gal; 9.7 to 10.3 imp gal)
Powerplant:1 ×ZF Sachs 2-stroke2-cylinder horizontally-opposedpiston engine,19 kW (26 hp) orUEL AR-741rotary engine; 28.3 kW (38.0 hp)