A US Marine Corps maritime expeditionary mission is planned to vertically insert an armed platoon with supplies. Using the newly developed methods of manned-unmanned teaming,...
...the V-22 Osprey aircrew will lead a formation of two Mono Tiltrotor Cargo UAS aircraft so that troops and supplies will arrive simultaneously at the insertion point. Video feeds from unmanned Preditor and Global Hawk aircraft indicate that lightly armed enemy may be at the insertion area. To provide a defensive capability, two more Cargo UASs are reconfigured for attack roles by disconnecting the cargo pods and mounting armament sponsons. The sponsons have Hydra rocket pods, Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and turret mounted cannons. Stinger air-to-air missiles are mounted to the Attack UAS's wingtips to provide an air defense capability.
The V-22 aircrew leads this five-ship formation which includes one V-22, two Cargo UAS, and two Attack UAS aircraft. The formation takes off vertically from the ship's flight deck, climbs to a cruise altitude of 20,000 feet, and cruises 200 nautical miles inland to the insertion point. Within this battle space, air superiority is maintained by a combat air patrol of F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. After the formation descends and approaches the insertion point, enemy small arms ground fire is returned by the Attack UAS's turret mounded cannons. During the insertion an enemy truck with shoulder-launched RPGs arrives, and this threat is eliminated by the Attack UAS's Hellfire missile. Ground level defense is persistantly maintained by the hovering Attack UASs while the platoon assembles on the ground and the V-22 and Cargo UASs begin their assent. The V-22 aircrew then commands the Attack UASs to re-join in a five-ship formation for the return leg of the mission back to the Navy ship.
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