The U.S. Army has embarked upon a study aimed at developing requirements for a new, high-altitude Armed Aerial Scout helicopter. In fact, the aircraft itself — the program emerging from the now-canceled Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter — may turn out to be an unmanned helicopter, or a modified version of an existing platform such as the Kiowa warrior or Apache attack helicopter.

Phase 1 of the study, being conducted by the Training and Doctrine Command research and analysis center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is scheduled to be completed by spring of next year. “Whatever we end up doing will have a manned-unmanned teaming flavor to it,” said Col. Keith Robinson, project manager, Armed Scout Helicopter. “It could be Kiowas, Apaches or more of the ERMPs [Extended Range Multi-Purpose Sky Warrior UAV]. The intent is to get some initial looks at the requirements and use that information in the 2012-2017 [program objective memorandum] build. We are trying to get out in front of potential fiscal requirements.”

Phase 2 of the study will come at the end of calendar year 2010, with a final report by April 2011. The results will identify the tasks the aircraft is expected to perform, and will focus on sharing UAV feeds such as Lockheed’s VUIT-2 system, which allows Apache pilots to view video transmitted by nearby UAVs in the cockpit. The study will center on the challenges of the current combat environment, such as the need for reconnaissance in the mountainous, high-altitude regions of Afghanistan. Retrofitted or modernized versions of the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter could also be selected as an option. The Army is planning to fly and maintain Kiowas in the fleet through 2025, Robinson said.