The Shadow Knows

Almost 200 soldiers at Alaska's Fort Wainright have a new tool in their arsenal: Four new tactical UAVs designed for reconnaisance.

The AAI Shadow 200 TUAVs are being used to train the 22 soldiers who will supervise their launches, flights and recoveries over the Land of the Northern Lights.

"They're one more way of scouting an area, one more tool," said Lt. Col. Richard Williams (USA), commander of the 172nd Stryker Brigade, which is operating the Shadows.

With a wingspan of just 13 feet, the 11-foot long, 350 pound Shadow isn't quite man-portable -- but it can be carried in a truck. The Army is deploying nine squadrons of four aircraft each at bases from Germany to South Korea and many points in between. At least two National Guard companies will have a chance to work with the Shadows as well.

The Alaskan deployment presents special problems, of course, because of the bitter cold. Oil systems started to freeze up at about -30 degrees. That's also about the time when pressurized nitrogen began leaking through the UAV's seals.

"That meant instituting design changes," said Tim Owings. He's deputy manager for the Army's Shadow program. "The goal is to deliver a product the soldiers of Alaska can have confidence in. Their job is to use this system as it's intended to operate - to find the bad guys."

FMI: www.aaicorp.com