Analysis of the use of Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles in conjunction with manned aircraft to counter active terrorists in rough terrain

Abstract

Turkey has been battling with terrorist groups since the 1980s. In total, more than 35,000 Turkish people have been killed by terrorists. The majority of the terrorist activities take place near the Turkish-Iraqi border, which is characterized by rough terrain. Problems, such as lengthy distances, often prevent aircraft from reaching the area before the terrorists achieve their objectives. Limited fuel capacity and challenging geographical conditions are other issues that must be overcome. Because of their technical capabilities and longer flight times, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) may enhance Turkey’s ability to counter active terrorists in that region. In this research, Map Aware Non-uniform Automata (MANA) is used to model different counterterrorism scenarios taking place along the Turkish-Iraqi border. We examine the potential effectiveness of using UCAVs in conjunction with manned aircraft to detect and eliminate terrorists trying to cross the border and attack Turkish military assets. For this purpose, we analyze the data from 102,800 simulated air-to-ground attacks using data analysis techniques, such as comparison and regression analysis. The analysis shows that UCAVs, with their additional sensors on the border and being able to rapidly attack identified targets, are very efficient in quickly countering terrorists and preventing them from attacking military forces.