Thursday, March 10, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Air Force boss foresees UAV program at Indian Springs

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper Role of UAVs expanding

Enlisted personnel at Nellis Air Force Base call him the boss, and if their four-star leader gets what he wants, the Indian Springs Auxiliary Air Force Field might one day become headquarters for all military unmanned aerial vehicles programs.

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper arrived at Nellis on Wednesday for a four-day stopover. In a brief interview with reporters, Jumper called for the creation of a Center for Excellence at Indian Springs, which is 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The center would coordinate the development and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles, also called UAVs.

The most well-known example of the many UAVs in use are the Predator spy planes, which are being used heavily in the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We have 750 UAVs over there," Jumper said. "And people are clamoring for more."

The problem is not that there are too few aircraft.

"The problem is getting command and control to coordinate activities so we have them in the right place at the right time. If we had a Center for Excellence, we think we could resolve those kinds of command and control procedures," Jumper said.

The general said he is trying to get support from other branches of the military for the proposal.

Nellis pilots and sensor operators control the Predators located 7,500 miles away in southwest Asia. The MQ-1 Predators are used to search everything from building complexes to forested areas. The unmanned planes are equipped with laser-guided Hellfire missiles and infrared cameras.

Jumper said the planes are flown in eight rotations of 24-hour orbits. The Predator has been so successful in action that the Bush administration is seeking $194 million to expand the program.

"The Predator people are building as many as they can build," Jumper said.

A newer larger version, the Predator B, is in the first stages of development and might debut in Spring 2006. It's a necessary next step, Jumper said, because the Predators now being flown in combat are not as efficient as they could be.

"We've built 126 or 127 Predators," Jumper said. "Almost 50 percent of them have been lost for one reason or another."

The demand for the Predator's services is part of what's fueling the planned expansion of Indian Springs, which is slated to become a full-fledged Air Force base or station. About $25 million has been earmarked for growth at Indian Springs this year, with another $65 million anticipated for next year.

While at Nellis, Jumper will inspect the Thunderbirds before the precision flying team embarks on its national tour this year.

As chief of staff, Jumper is the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for more than 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces. He is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which serve as military advisers to the secretary of defense, National Security Council and the president.