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Originally Posted by Dreadnought
RPV wise I would have said Iowa first officially fielded it in 1986. But this may be wrong just my guess. I've also read where the Israel's used it early on as well although im not sure if it was ship launched like Iowa's.
lol Bravo Zulu (well done) TH
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Very often it is stated (even by people who should know better) that the IAF were the first to use RPVs in a war. Its become sort of an "Urban Legend" because it isn't true.
The'The Kettering Torpedo in WW1,nicknamed the Bug was the first. In WW2 there were german guided bombs and some attempts to use old bombers by the US. We lost a Kennedy playing that game.
If you only want to count reusable, recoverable RPVs then USAF was playing the game in Vietnam starting in 1964. They were doing things that we are just now relearning. So much for all those "Lessons Learned" that get shoved in the back of the library.
A few first for the USAF 100SRW and the AQM-34/ Ryan 147
Inflight Data link with an aircraft in flight (RB-57)
Intercept of the SA-2 arming and proximity fusing signals. That was one of the most significant ELINT feats ever, and was the intent of the drone rebirth under projects "FireFly" and "Lightning Bug".
The first photos of SA-2 missiles in NVN.
Photographed an SA-2 detonation only 20 feet away and lived to bring back the photos.
Photographed MIG-21D and E aircraft in NVN.
Photographic proof of Soviet helicopters in NVN.
Deployed first operational remote-controlled real-time COMINT collection system (before any other manned or unmanned systems).
Provided continuous low altitude detailed photography of areas denied politically to manned aircraft.
Launched Maverick and Hobo smart bombs from the drone with deadly accuracy.
Proved its ability to detect and out-maneuver both the SA-2 missiles and fighter aircraft.
Provided daily low altitude, detailed bomb damage assessment photography of the Linebacker II raids. It was the only source to do so.
Established a response record by flying 5 missions in 6 days with a single drone. Launched 27 missions in a 7 day period in support of Linebacker II and flew 91 drone sorties in a 30 day period in December 1972.
Flew a high altitude AQM-34R drone for 7.8 hours on an operational mission.