U.S Marines To Be Coached At New UAS Training School

U.S Marines will now have access to training solely dedicated to Unmanned Air Systems (UAS). The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical UAS program office has launched the Training and Logistics Support Activity (TALSA) in mid-July provide troops with UAS training on short notice and have expanded the previous curriculum to include all Group I UAS assets. Group I UAS assets weigh less than 20 pounds; typically fly at altitudes below 1,200 feet; and fly between 45 minutes to approximately two hours. They include: RQ-11B Raven, Wasp, RQ-20A Puma and RQ-16B T-Hawk UAS. “Consistent training and sustainment support are key components for any weapon system and are integral to the warfighter’s mission success,” said Col. Jim Rector, PMA-263 program manager. “After years of operational contingency funding and rapid fielding of numerous small UAS, we identified this as an area that we needed to rapidly improve”. Prior the launch of the latest training system, Marines used other contracts to support their UAS training requirements for the RQ-11B Raven. The newly established TALSA offers classes more frequently with an expanded curriculum, giving Sailors and Marines greater flexibility when going on rapid deployment. The courses focus on the systems' function, employment, maintenance and troubleshooting issues. Once trained, UAS operators can tactically and effectively employ Group 1 systems to include mission planning, mission sensor/payload operations, launching, remotely piloting and recovering the aerial vehicle. “Our job at PMA-263 is to ensure we provide and support the products that “find & fix” our nation’s adversaries and threats,” Rector said. “This allows our Sailors and Marines to do what they do best, and that is to “finish” those threats”.