WEBVTT 00:00.330 --> 00:02.960 - First Lieutenant Harrison Tzu, call sign Charms. 00:02.960 --> 00:06.480 I'm a 73-15 by trade and unmanned aircraft commander. 00:06.480 --> 00:07.520 So, we're currently located 00:07.520 --> 00:09.640 at the Kangaroo Flats Training Area 00:09.640 --> 00:11.850 in the city of Darwin, Australia. 00:11.850 --> 00:14.860 So, we use this as an opportunity to exercise our system, 00:14.860 --> 00:18.080 get fully flight functional, conduct op checks, 00:18.080 --> 00:22.920 conduct comm checks with units adjacent to us 00:22.920 --> 00:26.080 and then higher, all the way back at the command element. 00:26.080 --> 00:28.980 We come out with approximately 30 marines, 00:28.980 --> 00:31.850 and RQ-21 DET is typically smaller than that, 00:31.850 --> 00:33.600 so very often you're one of one 00:33.600 --> 00:35.840 when you go out on RQ-21 DET. 00:35.840 --> 00:39.670 That's the case with a MEU or any other MAGTF really, 00:39.670 --> 00:42.300 which sometimes you fall in under other command structures 00:42.300 --> 00:44.860 and you rely on those command structures to provide you 00:44.860 --> 00:46.530 the external support. 00:46.530 --> 00:48.530 But separate of that, I mean, we took... 00:49.630 --> 00:52.450 We took three comm marines, all three lance corporals, 00:52.450 --> 00:57.280 no NCOs among them, and they're functioning excellently. 00:57.280 --> 01:01.390 The aircraft provides multi-sensor imagery reconnaissance. 01:01.390 --> 01:04.250 It can do that in a number of contexts and fit into a bunch 01:04.250 --> 01:06.250 of different functions within the MAGTF. 01:07.500 --> 01:10.480 At its most base level, we go out there, we fly, 01:10.480 --> 01:11.440 and we look at things, 01:11.440 --> 01:16.440 and we tell higher, "This is what this looks like," 01:17.580 --> 01:19.360 derive information off that, 01:19.360 --> 01:22.680 which is why we have our intelligence marines with us. 01:22.680 --> 01:24.270 And hopefully, that drives decisions 01:24.270 --> 01:27.370 up at the command level, the MAGTF command level, 01:27.370 --> 01:29.850 and potentially even higher than that. 01:29.850 --> 01:32.470 I know the Australians are looking at acquiring 01:32.470 --> 01:35.240 group three unmanned aircraft system themselves. 01:35.240 --> 01:39.180 One of them is actually RQ-21 Blackjack, 01:39.180 --> 01:42.700 so it's certainly allowing them a peek into our operations 01:42.700 --> 01:43.673 and how we use it. 01:45.290 --> 01:47.040 Can help inform their decision, 01:47.040 --> 01:49.880 and just like all things, you need... 01:51.010 --> 01:52.580 No individual country can do it alone, 01:52.580 --> 01:54.680 no individual unit can do it alone, 01:54.680 --> 01:57.050 individual marine can do it alone, 01:57.050 --> 02:00.010 so extending that, you know, that knowledge to them 02:00.010 --> 02:02.250 obviously helps build partnerships. 02:02.250 --> 02:05.550 So, UAS in general is a bit of an unknown quantity 02:05.550 --> 02:08.543 for a lot of countries, a lot of militaries, 02:10.360 --> 02:13.450 and we're sort of exploring even in our... 02:13.450 --> 02:15.660 Even in the Marine Corps, we're constantly exploring 02:15.660 --> 02:18.450 the best way to use UAS, 02:18.450 --> 02:20.240 and then sharing that with the Australians, 02:20.240 --> 02:24.880 and being able to develop those tactics, techniques, 02:24.880 --> 02:28.380 and procedures I think is extremely valuable. 02:28.380 --> 02:29.788 And honestly, if you don't... 02:29.788 --> 02:33.100 If you go to the same range in the US, 02:33.100 --> 02:36.770 10 times out of 10 you won't see those unique problem sets 02:36.770 --> 02:40.276 that you might see going forward to other countries, 02:40.276 --> 02:41.943 to other areas of operation.