Photo By Samuel King Jr. | Staff Sgt. Leland Hastings, 919th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron,...... read more read more
CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. - A four-by-four foot unmanned aerial system soars almost noiselessly through the deep blue and white skies of Wyoming. To anyone on the ground, it looks like a soaring bird or if high enough just a dark speck in the Western sky.
That bird or unnoticed spot is being controlled by an Airman on the ground, and has the ability to take photos, video in day or night, and even designate locations via an infrared laser. It also provides coordinates, magnetic azimuths, and linear distances creating a bird's-eye view to topographical map.
That UAS is called RAVEN-B and the person controlling it is Staff Sgt. Leland Hastings, 919th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron, one of only three reservists qualified to operate it.
The 919th SOSFS brought this relatively new technology to the August Reserve security forces field training exercise to demonstrate its capabilities and inform other units of the potential benefits of UASs.
“(With the UAS), the team on the ground can have real-time intelligence as opposed to information from a week or a month past,” said Hastings, a five-year reservist. “It allows them to see and assess the objective without ever putting them in harm’s way.”
For the exercise, the 919th not only demonstrated the capability of the Air Force Special Operations Command-owned UAS, but also used it to their advantage in their role as the opposition force against other Reserve units. They could monitor patrols and movements without leaving a secure hiding place.
Usually a two-person operation, Hastings controlled both pieces during this exercise.
“It is more difficult, but it can be done. Basically, it requires me to keep it within my line of sight,” said the civilian firefighter and Mobile, Alabama native.
Control of the UAS is comprised of a laptop that tracks the speed, location altitude and data received and the operation controller. The controller looks similar to a Wii U control and manages all of the movements, cameras and other moving parts on the UAS.
Hastings and the other reservists along with 1st SOSFS active-duty Airmen attended the two-week small unmanned aerial system course through the 371st Special Operations Command Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field Florida. Just like pilots, the controller must have a specific number of flights each year to remain qualified.
“This was a great opportunity to put more tools in our tool kit,” said Maj. Michael McGee, the 919th SOSFS commander about having his Airmen trained to control a UAS. “I remain insistent the 919th SOSFS remains relevant, viable, and on the cutting edge of doing security work in austere environments. I think it this is the future of AFSOC security forces.”
Hastings said he enjoys this unique aspect of special operations security forces and hopes other units recognize the benefits of the new technology available to them.
“Having this capability in your hip pocket,” he said. “It ensures none of our Airmen ever have to walk into the unknown.”
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2015 09:31 |
| Story ID: | 175489 |
| Location: | CAMP GUERNSEY, WY, US |
| Hometown: | MOBILE, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 406 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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