EXPO-SEDE_ET_2007_381405_EN.pdf — page 8

missiles. UCAVs have evolved, experimentally, when normal aircraft have been modified to 
operate without a pilot. Iraq is reported to have modified L-29 trainer aircraft into remote-
controlled chemical weapon sprayers.  
 
The term UCAV, however, is generally used for a high-performance vehicle, capable of high 
speed, long range and heavy weapon load – more or less the equivalent of a manned ground-
attack or bomber aircraft. The armed Predator, therefore, would not really count as a UCAV, 
while the Iraqi L-29 modification would be a borderline case.  
 
The first successful use of armed UAVs in combat operations was the attacks carried out by the 
US against ‘terrorist’ targets in Yemen and Afghanistan in 2002 and 2003. These attacks were 
carried out with Predator (MQ-9)8 reconnaissance UAVs modified to carry one or two Hellfire 
missiles9. The use of armed UAVs resulted from the failure of the US to ‘take out’ terrorists, 
and specifically Osama bin Laden, with cruise missiles. While the cruise missiles worked more 
or less as advertised, the time lag between identifying a mobile target such as Bin Laden and the 
actual impact of the missiles was too great.  
 
Ruling out the use of manned reconnaissance and attack systems, the only solution was to 
combine the detection and surveillance capabilities of a UAV with a weapon. This could either 
be done by relaying surveillance data to a platform carrying weapons or by adding weapons to 
the surveillance system. The first option has already been used by Israel in actions against 
targets in Gaza and Lebanon: UAVs would patrol and identify targets and manned aircraft 
would fire stand-off guided missiles to attack the target. Since the platform (usually an aircraft) 
carrying the missile was further away from the target than the UAV, there still remained a gap 
between target identification and the missile hitting. It also meant that a manned platform would 
have to be within missile range of the target. 
 
The US, however, chose to arm the UAV itself, thereby further closing the gap between target 
identification and a missile hitting it, and providing the option to do all this from a distance of up 
to several hundred kilometres. Adapting a rather large UAV, such as the Predator, to carry a 
light armament did not prove too difficult. The Predator was modified, tested and brought into 
action within months. It gave the US new options to identify and attack time-sensitive targets 
without having to risk manned aircraft over ‘enemy’ territory or in politically sensitive airspace. 
The armed Predator proved so successful that a new version was ordered almost at once. This 
much improved version - Predator-B (MQ-9B) - is now being acquired, capable of carrying up 
to 450 kg of missiles or bombs as well as air-to-air missiles to defend itself against interception. 
This new Predator has an endurance of almost two days. 
 
2.4 Risks of using UAVs 
 
The obvious advantage of the UAV – the fact that it does not require a human to fly over 
dangerous ‘enemy’ territory, can easily become a liability if this tempts the owner to intrude into 
the airspace of another country without permission. Such action could easily trigger conflict. 
Both Pakistan and India use UAVs along their mutual border and in 2002 violated each other’s 
airspace several times, while tension was already high. UCAVs add an extra dimension to this 
                                                 
8 US systems often have a commercial or military name, such as Predator or Shadow-600, as well as a military 
designation, such as MQ-9 or RQ-7. This paper uses the name, giving the military designation in brackets when 
first used. 
9 The US Hellfire is a laser- or radar-guided anti-tank missile developed for use from helicopters. It weighs some 45 
kg and has a range of some 5-8 km. The Hellfire is used by several EU members, and similar missiles such as Spike, 
Trigat or Brimstone are in use or being developed by EU members and could be used to arm UAVs. 
 
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