Back AAI RQ-2 German AAI RQ-2 Pioneer Spanish RQ-2 Pioneer French RQ-2 פיוניר HE RQ-2 Pioneer Armenian RQ-2 パイオニア Japanese RQ-2 파이오니어 Korean RQ-2 Pioneer Dutch RQ-2 Pioneer NB RQ-2 Pioneer Polish
| RQ-2 Pioneer | |
|---|---|
| |
| RQ-2 Pioneer | |
| Role | Reconnaissance UAV |
| National origin | Israel/United States |
| Manufacturer | AAI Corporation, Israel Aircraft Industries |
| Introduction | 1986 |
| Retired | 2007 |
| Number built | 175 delivered; 35 in service |
| Developed into | AAI RQ-7 Shadow |
The AAI RQ-2 Pioneer was an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, and deployed at sea and on land from 1986 until 2007. Initially tested aboard USS Iowa, the RQ-2 Pioneer was placed aboard Iowa-class battleships to provide gunnery spotting, its mission evolving into reconnaissance and surveillance, primarily for amphibious forces.
It was developed jointly by AAI Corporation and Israel Aircraft Industries. The program grew out of successful testing and field operation of the Tadiran Mastiff UAV by the American and Israeli militaries.[1]
Essentially, the Pioneer is an upgraded IAI Scout which was re-engined to accommodate a greater payload by request of the US Navy. To accomplish this, the original "Limbach" two-cylinder two-stroke engine was replaced with a Fichtel & Sachs two-cylinder two-stroke. The Limbach motor used a 71 cm propeller from Propeller Engineering and Duplicating, Inc. of San Clemente, California. The newer, more powerful Fichtel & Sachs motor was outfitted with a 74 cm propeller (which spins in the opposite direction) from the Sensenich Propeller Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
- ^ Laurence R. Newcome (2004). Unmanned Aviation: A Brief History of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. AIAA. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-56347-644-0.
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