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Article: Maritime surveillance: Coast Guard not yet ready to commit to unmanned aircraft.(Coast Guard)
- Article from:
- National Defense
- Article date:
- November 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 National Defense Industrial Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Coast Guard's unmanned aerial vehicle program has yet to get off the ground.
Last year, plans were halted to acquire a vertical-takeoff UAV, called Eagle Eye. At the time, officials said the project had to be cancelled for financial reasons. Now the Coast Guard intends to wait until 2010 to decide what aircraft it may buy.
At a time when military UAV orders are ramping up, the Coast Guard has decided to take a more cautious approach. Experts speculate that the Coast Guard's future UAV purchases will follow the Navy's direction.
The Coast Guard hinted last year that it may buy the Fire Scout unmanned ...