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Defender's Raven keeps watch from above

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Timothy H. Kim
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  It flies in the sky, unknown and unseen, lest someone were to pay extremely close attention. Flying between clouds and using the sun's blinding rays as cover, it soars ever watchful.

It whirrs and clicks, looking to see details far beyond what a normal eye can capture. It always sets its sights on the target.

Of what bird of prey could this winged wonder be? A hawk? A falcon?

No, it is but a raven.

But it's not an ordinary raven - It's the Raven B small unmanned aerial system with a digital data link operated by U.S. Air Force Airmen to gather intelligence, reconnaissance and assess battle damage.

The 52nd Security Forces Squadron's SUAS team flew a Raven B SUAS with a DDL during mandatory annual training on an airfield in U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, Germany, July 23.

Eleven of the 18 SUAS operators trained on their proficiency and current knowledge of their ability to pilot the Raven SUAS and understand its basic mechanics and functions.

SUAS operators must attend a two-week initial qualification training course before gaining authorization to pilot the SUAS. The course teaches them a basic understanding of piloting the SUAS, launches, landings, and how to handle critical situations that may occur.

"The SUAV is mobile, capable and small," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Fox, 52nd SFS research protection manager and SUAS instructor. "We can take it out almost anywhere and deploy it in any environment. With proficient training, you can navigate it anywhere, and it provides aerial view and battle ground assessments that allow NCOs and platoon commanders to dictate movements."

Fox has worked with unmanned aerial vehicle systems during his deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan, for nearly three years, gaining a proficient understanding of UAVs and the impact they can bring to the battlefield.

"These unmanned aerial vehicles can minimize those minimal personnel areas where one guard standing in the tower for 12 hours, 10-15 days straight, who can't see in the dark," Fox said. "With this asset, we can put an infrared camera on it and fly it up for however long the mission requires and pinpoint targets even in the dark."

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ashley Kurtz, a 52nd SFS operation support NCO and Fox's fellow SUAS instructor, agreed with his assessment of the value of the SUAV training session.

"It definitely gives us an advantage," Kurtz said. "It will help save lives of Defenders because we don't have to send them out unnecessarily. We figure out the situation beforehand and gather intelligence with the SUAV and determine whether we need to take further action. If we're able to use it would be something exceptional that the enemy would not see coming."

For more photos of the event, click here.