| Abstract: |
The
primary source of battlespace intelligence for the Army's proposed
Interim Brigade Combat Team (BCT) is the Reconnaissance, Surveillance
and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Squadron. The fundamental role of
the RSTA Squadron is to provide detailed situational understanding
to the BCT Commander facilitating freedom of maneuver and the concentration
of combat power at the decisive time and place. Technologically
advanced systems should substantially enhance RSTA Squadron operations.
Among the proposed systems in the Squadron are the Future Scout
and Cavalry System (FSCS), tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAV),
ground-based networked sensors (acoustic, seismic, magnetic, infrared,
radio frequency), radio frequency (RF) detectors, and nuclear, biological
and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance systems. This paper outlines the
process used to date for designing the RSTA Squadron and proposes
an alternative approach: a systems engineering methodology to formulate,
analyze and interpret RSTA Squadron design alternatives.
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