J-UCAS Canceled, But Not for Naught

Source URL: http://www.edefenseonline.com/default.asp?func=article&aref=02_15_2006_OM
Posted at: http://www.air-attack/com/news/news_article/1128

US Navy Capt. Ralph Alderson, program director of the Joint-Unmanned Combat Aerial System (J-UCAS) program, said right at the start that he would address the elephant in the room.

The FY07 defense budget provides zero funding for the J-UCAS, and the newly released 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) calls for the program's "restructuring," as many of the attendees at the Association of Unmanned Systems International's Unmanned Systems Program Review 2006 conference in Washington, DC, on Feb. 8 perhaps already knew, Capt. Alderson said.

"Restructuring" would appear to be a euphemism for "canceled," but despite standing at the podium with a PowerPoint presentation for a program now in limbo, the J-UCAS program director said not all is for naught – that there are many lessons learned which can be applied to the restructured program, the exact nature of which is still to be determined.

---

Print this page

Visit Air-Attack.com for more military aviation and defense industry news