Design of the Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition Squadron for the US Army's Interim Brigade Combat Team

The primary source of battlespace intelligence for the Army's proposed Interim Brigade Combat Team (BCT) is the Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Squadron. The fundamental role of the RSTA Squadron is to provide detailed situational understanding to the BCT Commander facilitating freedom to maneuver and the concentration of combat power at the decisive time and place. Technologically advanced systems should substantially enhance RSTA Squadron operations. Among the proposed systems in the Squadron are the Future Scout and Cavalry System (FSCS), tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAVs), ground-based networked sensors (acoustic, seismic, magnetic, IR and RF), RF detectors, and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance systems. This paper outlines the process used to date for designing the RSTA Squadron and proposes an alternative approach: a systems engineering methodology to formulate, analyze and interpret RSTA Squadron design alternatives.