FLYING DRONE: INTELLIGENCE WORKHORSE?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000706940025-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: December 5, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2011/12/15: CIA-RDP90-00965R000706940025-2
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JACK ANDERSON and DALE VAN ATTA
Flying Drone: Intelligence Workhorse?
The Pentagon and the C[A are developing and
deploving nearly .$3 billion worth of
sophisricated flying drones (known as
Remotely Piloted Vehicles, or RPVs).
This living transmitter may become the
workhorse of the intelligence business. Already,
some are operating as spy planes over El Salvador
and Nicaragua.
The Israelis demonstrated the usefulness of
RPVs in Lebanon, where they provided "live"
television coverage of Syrian and other forces,
tricked antiaircraft missile batteries into turning on
their radars (thus giving away their locations), and
served other battlefield purposes.
It was the Americans' use of drones in Vietnam
that led to Israel's interest. Jet-powered target
drones launched from, transport planes flew more
than 3.000 reconnaissance missions in Vietnam,
and it was an American engineer, Alvin Ellis, who
sold the Israeli military an RPVs in the early
t`J'Os.
Toe advantages of RPVs over manned aircraft
.ire many and obvious: They cost a relative pittance
compared with the price of fighters and
reconnaissance pl,ines. Needing none of the
equipment that keeps pilots alive, drones burn a
fraction of the fuel used by manned planes and can
also be maneuvered at speeds that no pilot could
'.withstand. 'Their ground controllers are far cheaper
to rrau; than pilots-and or course when a drone is
That down, no one is killed or captured. The RPV is
extremely Para to knock down because of its tiny
radar "signature derived from its size of no more
than about 14 feet - and 'rem its minimal heat
Output. which thwarts infra-red trackers and
heat-seeking missiles.
The Air Farce plans to buy about 250 mid-range
RPVs for a supplementary reconnaissance role, but
is generally not enthusiastic about the little planes.
The General Accounting Office, which favors wide
use of the low-cost drones, attributes the Air
Force's lack of interest to a longstanding "pro-pilot
bias" and a 'perception of RPVs as too drab and
unexciting to generate much enthusiasm.' A GAO
report adds:
"Therefore, while RPVs are accepted during
wartime for very high-risk missions of mundane
jobs such as chaff dispensing and leaflet dropping,
during peacetime they are not regarded with as
much favor is the high-technology manned
aircraft.'
The Army, Navy and CIA are more enthusiastic
about the RPV and the Marines are experimenting
wit a rmote-control helicopter.
Correction: On Nov. 24, we reported that two for-
cer high-level government officials had been
involved in the secret arms/hostages negotiations
with Iran. One of them, ex-CIA official Thomas
Clines. we reported. had been indicted in an arms
scandal in 1984. had pleaded guilty to filing false
invoices with the Defense Department, and had
been rir,ed i10,000.
That !s not correct. According to his attorney,
John Elsworth Stein of Wasnington. D.C. Thomas
Clines has never been indicted for anything.
Systems Sen:cep Inter:: iuon,il Inc., a company in
which he heir{ ;rock. as indicted in the arms
matter, h;?te.er. ,anal'i:d pa;. I 3i0.0OO tine.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2011/12/15: CIA-RDP90-00965R000706940025-2