A Unique Trio Treks Around the World Just Doing Their Job That Helps Keep Others Safe


Members of the U.S. Marines 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit ready a Silver Fox UAV in a Philippine training camp to fly from its launcher and controlled by them using a ground control station in the background. (ACR photo)

TUCSON, Az –Three employees of Tucson based Advanced Ceramics Research (ACR) have and continue to be employed in the global war on terrorism, but not in a military uniform. Rafael Gaytan, Jerry Mingo and Stephan Shemenski have logged thousands of hours controlling, flying and training members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Navy to use small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

For more than two years each has left the safety of their homes, their family and friends to live and work with military units in the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq, the jungles of Colombia and Philippines, living aboard navy ships and soon in other regions for missions yet undisclosed. During deployments and training periods with military units they practice their respective trade as an autonomous aerial vehicle operator, air traffic controller and when necessary even UAV repairman.

Like their brothers and sisters in uniform, who the trio rely on for front line safety as they deploy to work and at times live in harm’s way, they volunteered to help gather intelligence, conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Their tools include ACR’s Silver Fox and Manta UAVs.

Most of the UAV missions are actually flown by the military members themselves, but some have required the services of ACR for special operations and during evaluation and training periods.

Gaytan and Mingo were embedded with members of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force units for weeks in the field following a helicopter drop from a navy troop ship. They lived and worked with and taught the U.S. Marines and showed Philippine military how to fly missions through jungle storms, over dense tree canopy and in mountainous regions of the Philippines.

Mingo and Shemenski, both Navy veterans, lived and worked from 2006 thru 2007 and parts of 2008 in a strategic forward operating base in Afghanistan flying UAVs under hostile conditions with near misses of incoming bombs. In 2006 Shemenski deployed and worked in Iraq for more than a year. They logged more than 1,200 flight hours and provided vital information that improved the allied combat commanders’ ability to make necessary decisions in battle or intelligence gathering. In 2006 Shemenski supported jungle and high altitude UAV missions during a joint military to military operation with elements from the U.S. Southern Command and Colombian military forces.

The Silver Fox UAV transmits live or can record images through its electronic “eyes” of a variable zoom color camera or readily switch to a location or target coordinated thermal imaging camera. Weighing about 26 pounds and programmed using finger tip or stylus inputs on a color screen displaying the operating area, the Silver Fox UAV can be assembled and fueled ready for flight operations in a little as 15 minutes. It is launched and flown autonomously from a compact, rugged ground control station that is outfitted in a large caliber gun case.

With a wing span of eight feet and fuselage about five feet it can dash to a location at 55 knots or better than 60 mph staying airborne for a proven 11 hours. With the two onboard cameras it can provide operators with day through night capability not needing to land and change out the cameras.

Adding to its versatility is the compact, gas piston launcher than can be mounted on standard military gun mounts on tanks, trucks, boats and ships or from the box it is stored in on the ground. Silver Fox autonomously lands on land, water or in a net.

The Manta UAV also autonomously operates flying up to 80 knots or in excess of 90 mph in its twin rail inverted V-tail configuration. With a wingspan of less than nine feet and fuselage of just over six feet it carries payloads of up to 775 cubic inches. Its standard payload is a point and zoom color or thermal imaging camera system.

For further information contact:
Neil Franz
Office: 301-838-6112
Mobile: 240-687-0127

ACR’s Jerry Mingo, left, reviews flight operating procedures for a Silver Fox UAV on a ground control station as part of joint Philippine and U.S. Marine exercise. (ACR photo)

Members of U.S. Southern Command and Colombian military discuss Silver Fox UAV operations in a bunker during 2006 joint operations in Colombia. Stephan Shemenski supported the operations with a team from ACR. (ACR photo)

Stephan Shemenski stands along side a Silver Fox UAV ready to launch during a military mission in the mountains of Colombia in 2006. (ACR photo)

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BAE Systems
3292 E. Hemisphere Loop Tucson, Arizona 85706
Phone: (520)573-6300 Fax: (520)573-2057