US Army seeks tethered UAV for laser-designating

The US Army is looking to acquire tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to laser-designate ground targets from stand-off distances.

The Elistair SafeT is a tethered UAV of the type that the US Army is seeking for Air National Guard Special Tactics Operators to observe and engage hostile ground forces using laser-guided weapons from greater stand-off distances. (Elistair )

A solicitation posted on 24 April by the Department of the Army calls for information on a tethered-UAV that can be used by Air National Guard (ANG) Special Tactics Operators (STOs) to observe and engage hostile ground forces using laser-guided weapons from greater stand-off distances.

“The required product will allow STOs to develop tactics, techniques, and procedures for observing and engaging hostile forces with low-collateral, long stand-off, laser-guided weapons fired or released from weapons systems that are unable to self-designate and expedite targeting for systems that can self-designate but have not yet identified a target’s location,” the request for information (RFI) noted.