to assist Japan in recovering from its 9.0 earthquake. A spokesman for Lockheed Martin says meetings are underway that could result in enlisting the unmanned K-MAX helicopter in disaster relief. These craft could deliver cargo to hard-to-reach places—or even to subdue the out-of-control reactors in Japan.
The K-MAX, developed by Lockheed Martin, and Boeing's A160T Hummingbird are the two unmanned helicopters the Marine Corps is testing for a program to deliver cargo to remote locations on the battlefield. During demonstration flights the helicopters delivered cargo autonomously and released GPS-guided pallets on parachutes. Both capabilities could be of great use in delivering medical supplies or clean water to areas in Japan isolated by severely damaged infrastructure.
Even more intriguing, the unmanned helo is being considered for missions to dump water onto the exposed fuel rods at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The ongoing mission's goal is to keep fuel rods underwater to keep them cool and prevent widespread radioactivity from getting into the air. But right now, Japanese Chinook helicopter crews are exposed to radiation as they fly above the reactors, dumping 7 to 10 tons of water from massive buckets slung under the craft. Because of radiation fears, pilots can only get so close to the reactors and are limited to 45-minute flight times in the area. And wind can take the falling water off-course, hurting the effectiveness of the operation.
Enter the unmanned aerial vehicles. K-MAX's 6000-pound cargo capacity (at sea level) makes it the helo of choice for the reactor mission: It could ferry loads of water and accurately place it into the reactor, refilling its basket with ocean water and returning to base to be decontaminated and refueled. (One source at a Navy meeting suggested the craft also could dump concrete to entomb the reactor's fuel rods, if necessary.)
Still, there are several things that could hamper the deployment of these experimental UAVs. One is personnel safety: Even though K-MAX can be operated from 50 miles away, Lockheed and the Marines won't lightly choose to send people in harm's way. (The U.S. Embassy in Japan has already evacuated civilian personnel to at least 50 miles away from the reactors because of increasing radiation.) Another consideration is electromagnetic interference—conditions above the reactor could play havoc with the helicopter's controls. Marines on the scene in Japan must also authorize the transfer—and they may not have the time, inclination or logistical support to host an experimental aircraft.
