L-3 Unmanned Systems at Micahel AFB

This is correspondence from the L-3 Unmanned Systems to the FCC for an experimental radio license. The license is good until 02/02/2013.

Date: June 11, 2012 Re: Request for Expedited Processing ofExperimental STA (File No. 0469-EX-ST- 2012) filed on 6/11/12 for L-3 Unmanned Systems Inc. L-3 Unmanned Systems Inc. is requesting expedited processing of their Experimental STA filed on 6/11/12 for the reasons below. The temporary FCC license we are requesting isto support an urgent need for the DoD. We need access to these frequencies to operate ground based calibrate equipment that will be used in the vicinity of Michael Army Airfield (Airport Designator: KDPG) and their associated test range from June 25, 2012 to August 1, 2012.

Frequency band: 140.00000000 - 170.00000000 M (presumed MHz)

Additional L-3 unmanned frequencies 461.4875 461.7375 464.5 464.55 469.5 469.55 . The last four frequencies are designated itinerant (as in can be used anywhere, but are not unique to L-3). The first two frequencies are around N32 43 08.4 W99 16 03.2, which is Albany Texas.

L-3 Unmanned Systems

I don't know about the L3, but 140Mhz to 170Mhz is usually designated for data...normally pagers, etc are found in this band.

As to the 450Mhz - 470Mhz.....this is usually the band where you find emergency services, both analogue and digital.

I know L-3 Unmanned Systems (formerly Geneva Aerospace) of Carrollton, TX has been working on a $250M contract for SOCOM, possibly with classified portions. This sounds a lot like activity related to what you're referencing.

DoD Contracts 9/11/2009: $250M to L-3 from SOCOM

* FMI: scroll to bottom of above hyperlink.

reply to post by TAGBOARD


www.defenseindustrydaily.com...
www.genaero.com...

Boxer engine. That means VW Beetle. ;-)
en.wikipedia.org...

I think the DoD read all the rumors about Michael AAF being the new Area 51 when Jim Wilson made that claim and figured might as well do something there, just to give the tourists and web surfers something to investigate.

I could not imagine spending millions to make Jim Wilson right. I suppose crazier things have happened.

The Viking 400 was the primary vehicle of interest, back in 2009. I understand there may be a completely different airframe, powerplant, payload and/or customer in the works now.

reply to post by TAGBOARD


I guess I should have put a " ;-) " when I made that Jim Wilson remark.

I assume if your UAV isn't a secret, or if you are just testing sensors like Argus or Gorgon Stare, Michael AFB is a good place to do the work. Creech is active with training and operations. The presumably more secret test location of the AOF has to contend with Janet traffic going over its airspace. The Janets can take a more southern path when the Nellis ranges are not active, but that is only early in the AM based on my observations.