With US forces in Afghanistan scattered across large and small bases, the military has faced a logistical nightmare. In turn, this has driven the Army and Marines to look for new solutions to the age old problem of military logistics. Two of the more promising solutions comes from rotary wing UAVs: specifically the A160T Hummingbird and the K-MAX. Both pilotless aircraft have carried 1,250lb sling loads over 172.5 miles in test flights and the latter has been flown continuously for 18 hours. The military hopes to use these UAVs to cheaply and safely ferry supplies to US forces during operations. But, do UAVs also have a role to play in humanitarian and disaster relief operations?
Experience in Haiti has shown that logistics is an area of humanitarian-military cooperation with major promise. The power of the US military to transport cargo from A to B is unparalleled. Rotary wing UAVs could improve that capacity through high speed, low cost aerial resupply to humanitarians on the ground. A hospital needs a generator? Organizing a ground convoy could involve 20 to 50 people. One A160T Hummingbird could complete the same mission in less time with only a small crew of remote pilots (who do not even need to be in the disaster zone). Using UAVs for humanitarian purposes is a growing idea, in South Africa UAVs are being tested as airborne medical couriers in rural regions, carrying specimens to testing facilities.
It is something to think about.
Christopher R. Albon is a political science Ph.D. specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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