Federal budgets put squeeze on unmanned aircraft

Joe Cogliano Senior Reporter- Dayton Business Journal

Budgetary uncertainty is the top risk to the military’s unmanned aircraft portfolio.

That was the message from high-ranking officials Tuesday at a field hearing of the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. U.S. Rep Mike Turner, R-Dayton, brought the hearing to Sinclair Community College in Dayton to coincide with the Ohio UAS Conference. Click here to read about the conference.

Dyke Weatherington, director of unmanned warfare & intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Office of the Secretary of Defense, told the subcommittee the budget issues are leading to short-term decisions that are bad for long-term health of unmanned programs.

“Unfortunately, that leads us to be conservative … but we have no other alternative,” Weatherington said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2013/04/23/federal-budgets-put-squeeze-on-unammed.html