Tuesday, December 02, 2008

RQ-2 Pioneer

IOC: 1986

RQ-2B Pioneer

Unitary Cost: USD$1.0 million

Also Known As
RQ-2A Pioneer

Origin
United States of America

Program Status:
Inactive - No Longer Operational

Contractor/s
AAI Corporation

Applications
LHA 1 Tarawa
LPD 4 Austin

Description: RQ-2 Pioneer is a land-based and shipborne Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system developed by Pioneer UAV Inc. in the 1980s. The US Navy (1986), Marine Corps (1987) and Army (1990) procured this UAV to conduct Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) as well as battle damage assessment missions. Its low radar cross section (RCS), reduced silhouette and infrared signature are key elements for aircraft survivability. It is powered by a gasoline motor developing 26-hp.

RQ-2A Pioneer was initially fielded as a land-based asset in 1986. Subsequently, was deployed on battleship USS Iowa (BB 61), USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and three LHA vessels (1987). In the 1990s the US Navy has deployed Pioneer on five/six Austin-class Landing Platform Docks (LPDs). Pioneer saw combat during operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield in 1990 - 1991. USS Iowa and USS Wisconsin employed Pioneer as RSTA with devastating effects against Iraqi coastal defenses in Kuwait.

The US Navy should begin replacing Pioneer at the end of this decade with versatile Fire Scout UAV which is undergoing trials to deliver precision guided weapons in addition to RSTA capabilities. RQ-2B is an improved variant. As of early 2006, this UAV was deployed onboard LPD-4, LPD-7, LPD-9, LPD-12 and LPD-15 (LPD-6 was decommissioned in 2005).

Specifications
Accommodation: Unmanned

Dimensions: Length 4.3 m, Wingspan 5.2 m

Weights: Max Weight 189 kg (417 lb), Payload 34 kg (75 lb)

Performance: Ceiling 3,700 m (12,139 ft), Endurance 6 hours 30 min, Max Range 380 km (205 nm), Top Speed 57 mps (203 kph)

Power: Power 26 shp

News
US Navy Launches Final Pioneer Flight

Operators

United States of America / Inactive - No Longer Operational

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Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008

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