The T-Hawk micro air vehicle has been proven in combat. In an exclusive interview with SP’s M.A.I., Pritam Bhavnani, President, Honeywell Aerospace India, spoke about the unique characteristics of T-Hawk.

SP’s M.A.I. (SP’s): Apart from being a ducted fan vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) micro UAV, what are the special features of the Honeywell RQ-16A T-Hawk?

Pritam Bhavnani (Bhavnani): The Honeywell T-Hawk is another example of innovative technology initially created for defence purposes that can play crucial roles in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts. One of the unique aspects of this particular UAV is that from a logistics perspective, its size and weight provide tactical operators real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) benefits without the significant ‘gear-footprint’ required by other UAVs. The entire unit can be carried by one person into various locations or environments.

SP’s: At what level of command or formation in the battlefield is the T-Hawk micro air vehicle (MAV) designed to be deployed?

Bhavnani: The T-Hawk is a tactical airborne ISR asset designed to be deployed at the platoon or squad level. In its current roles, it is asset-managed at the battalion level in a manner similar to special weapons such as crew-served weapons like heavy machine guns and mortars. Field experience with T-Hawks has been positive with deployed units having great success with route clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal missions, infantry support, and base and perimeter security.

SP’s: Has the T-Hawk completed its developmental flight test programme?

Bhavnani: The T-Hawk micro air vehicle has been proven in combat with the US Army and Navy, with more than 2,500 combat missions flown and 2,000 flight hours till date in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, respectively.

SP’s: How does the T-Hawk decrease combat risk for troops?

Bhavnani: The T-Hawk reduces combat risk by giving tactical decision-makers more options in an often compressed operational timeline. It offers commanders an upper hand during counter-IED missions by providing information about how and when insurgents may have planted explosives along roads or on other targets. The T-Hawk is an airborne ISR asset used by route clearance units and EOD technicians to detect and positively identify IEDs.

SP’s: Are you thinking of using more sophisticated sensors in this micro UAV?

Bhavnani: While the current electrooptical (EO)/long wave infrared (IR) sensor payload gives tactical units a clear advantage, our development team knew that additional payload versatility would enable a wider span of ISR missions. With this in mind additional payloads including a true high definition EO camera, a high-resolution long wave IR camera, an integrated EO and high-resolution IR camera, a short wave IR camera, and various standoff real-time radiation and chemical sensors are considered for adoption.

SP’s: It could be used in the Army at the Company/Platoon level and in counterinsurgency it could be used for homeland security.

Bhavnani: Precisely so. The T-Hawk’s broad range of real-time ISR capabilities increases the potential success across a spectrum of combat missions. Its ability to fly rapidly to a target and execute detailed inspection from various standoff distances, positions and angles, deliver high quality real-time video to the operator, and provide accurate position data even in cluttered urban areas is a force multiplier in both military and homeland security missions.

SP’s: How are the versions of the T-Hawk designed for the US Navy and the Army different from each other?

Bhavnani: Weighing in at less than 20 pounds with vertical takeoff and landing capability, the T-Hawk does not require a runway or large volumes of airspace to get into position. It has an endurance run time of around 40 to 50 minutes, an approximate working sphere of a 10,000-foot ceiling and an operating radius of about six nautical miles (11 km). The primary difference between the US Navy and US Army systems lies in the mission requirements. Both the Navy and the Army utilise the T-Hawk to perform a variety of missions, from reconnaissance to communications operations.