Textron Systems’ Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) was central to the Taiwan Army’s first successfully completed Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) operation.
The activity was conducted in July as part of the Taiwanese Armed Forces’ annual Divine Eagle Exercise. During the operation, the Aerosonde UAS worked with an Army Aviation and Special Forces Command (ASFC) AH-64E Apache helicopter.
The Aerosonde UAS supplied Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR-T), along with laser designation capabilities. These capabilities enabled the AH-64E Apache helicopter to engage simulated maritime targets.
Within a MUM-T arrangement, an uncrewed aircraft can move ahead of a crewed platform, maintain persistent overwatch and provide precise laser designation. This allows attack helicopters to remain focused on carrying out the mission.
Operating from the beachhead, the Aerosonde UAS combined VTOL capability with fixed-wing endurance. It moved rapidly into the target area and established persistent ISR-T coverage. An advanced electro-optical payload enabled the aircraft to identify, track and designate simulated targets for precision engagement by Apache helicopters.
The operation demonstrated connected sensor-to-shooter architecture and real-time information exchange between uncrewed and crewed platforms. It also highlighted two principal benefits of the Aerosonde UAS: faster crew decision making and increased operational flexibility.
Acting as the forward aerial observer, the Aerosonde UAS maintained continuous situational awareness. This enabled operators to detect and engage targets with greater confidence while reducing risk.
The teaming of the Aerosonde UAS with Taiwan’s Army Aviation helicopters showed how crewed and uncrewed systems can advance existing fleets and improve survivability, precision and sensor-to-shooter timelines without sacrificing the mission.
As armed forces continue to evolve, MUM-T provides a framework for multi-domain operations. The Divine Eagle Exercise showed how the Aerosonde UAS can deliver ISR-T and laser designation within that framework.
