Westhawk cuts to the quick in his analysis on the roles and missions implications behind the Air Force's recent attempt to be designated the "executive agent" for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Shot down by the Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, the Air Force is apparently not giving up - taking their appeal to Congress. An excerpt from the Westhawk post:
The U.S. Air Force's attempt to seize control over all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that fly above 3,500 feet is just a glimpse at what will very likely become the most important battle over military roles and missions in sixty years. The maturation of aerial drone technology has already revolutionized reconnaissance in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. But this is just the beginning. Drones will introduce very-long endurance capabilities and, as drone costs decline, something approaching an "everywhere" presence on the battlefield. These are new qualities not possible when aircraft required human crews. It is the arrival of these qualities that will shake up the allocation of roles and missions among the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps.
The fact that all of the services are rapidly expanding their drone fleets and experimenting with even more exotic models is the strongest proof of the success of battlefield UAVs. Fearing a gutting of its relevance and thus its budget, the U.S. Air Force, led by its Chief of Staff General Michael Moseley, attempted to take command of all UAVs that fly above 3,500 feet. The Air Force argued that consolidating medium- and high-altitude UAVs under one "executive agent" would ensure efficiencies in research and procurement, and would deliver system-wide compatibility. The other services, particularly the Army, retorted that the Air Force's power grab would stifle innovation, and leave the ground forces vulnerable to a possibly unresponsive Air Force, both in development and on the battlefield.
Much more at Westhawk.