I remember when I was in elementary school, my friends and I often talked about “space age” technology where robots would be soldiers and planes would not have pilots inside them, but would have them many miles away controlling their moves. In sharing these thoughts with teachers, they would often say, “You should write a science fiction book.” They would shake their heads and say that these kids have thoughts of unreal possibilities. Here we are years later, and many of the thoughts and ideas we had when we were young have become a reality. As for robot soldiers, I really do not think we are too far from that possibility. We do have robots that will diffuse or detonate bombs or IEDs.
We also have pilot-less planes that will perform reconnaissance and can actually drop bombs or fire missiles at enemy locations. These planes are operated by personnel that are located miles away from the zone the plane is flying in. There have been debates over the legalities over this form of warfare, so it is imperative that there be experts in control that supervise all aspects of unmanned aerial systems.
In today’s post, we will examine the Army 150U Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (TUAS) Operations Technician. We will explore their duties, responsibilities and other things you should know. The Army 150U is a Warrant Officer position. To attain this position, you will need to fill these requirements and then attend and complete Warrant Officer Candidate school (WOCS):
Requirements
Be a U.S. citizen
Have 12 months+ on enlistment contract
Have a General Technical score of 110 or higher
Pass the APFT and meet height and weight requirements
Pass the physical for technicians
Be a High School graduate
Have a secret security clearance
Those are prerequisites for becoming a Warrant Officer, but to enter the Army 150U, you will need:
To be a E5 Sergeant or above
Graduate from Advanced Leadership Course (ALC)
Hold the MOS of 15E or 15W. This is waiverable for any who hold these MOS positions: all 21 series, all 19 series, all 13 series, 12B, 11B, 11C, 11H, and 11M.
1 year supervisory experience
Have a written recommendation from a senior Warrant Officer
Other posts you may enjoy:
- Army 150A Warrant Officer: Air Traffic Control Technician
- Army Special Warfare Center: Top 12 Amazing Facts
- and, Army 91D MOS: 6 Things to Know
- Top 11 Army Air Corps Facts
- Army Officer Skill Identification Codes: A Complete List
Responsibilities and Duties
As I stated earlier, this is a Warrant Officer position. To summarize what the Army deems a Warrant Officer, they are: technical experts, combat leaders, trainers and advisers. Warrant Officers are highly confident and competent. They are supporters of Army missions in all formats.
The 150U TUAS Operations Technician performs these duties, and many more:
Develops Unmanned Aerial System requirements.
Identifies needed payloads for collection requirements.
Advises on all Unmanned Aerial System issues.
Coordinates airspace requirements, and is the acting liaison.
Integrates and supervises Unmanned Aerial System safety programs.
Integrates Unmanned Aerial System collections into strategic data collections.
Assists analysts with Unmanned Aerial System data on intelligence priorities.
Assists targeting coordination for collection of intelligence data.
Trains and supervises subordinates in operations of Unmanned Aerial Systems.
Much more.
The fact is, the 150U in many cases may act as the Unmanned Aerial Systems Mission Commander.
As new Unmanned Aerial Systems are developed, the 150U has the responsibility of learning everything they can about the new system. They are responsible for knowing safety, laws and regulations regarding Unmanned Aerial Systems, maintenance procedures and all aspects of data collection.
The 150U has a ton of responsibility.
To understand more about this position, and other positions regarding Unmanned Aerial Systems, you should read FMI 3-04.155 Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations. This document is 183 pages of great information regarding Unmanned Aerial Systems. You can download and read a copy here.
Final Thoughts
Again, the 150U position is a Warrant Officer position. If you are just entering Army service, or are considering it and you are inspired to become a 150U, I have to tell you that it is not an entry level position. To gain experience in the right place to become a 150U, your best MOS positions are the 15W which is an Unmanned Vehicle Operator job, or 15E which is an Unmanned Aircraft System Repairer. These 2 positions can set you on the best course of your goal to attain the 150U Warrant Officer position.
I would love to hear from any 150U Warrant Officers who are reading this. Will you please provide more information on this position?
As we move into a higher technological form of warfare, you can guarantee that more and more of these types of jobs in the United States Army will come open. The possibilities are also endless in after Army careers too. Many corporations are considering Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for deliveries, not to mention research companies, zoning companies and more that have found drones to be a useful tool. With the experience of being a 150U, many of these companies will bend over backwards to hire you.
If you have comments or questions, please post them below. Thank you for visiting, and have a great day.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
Suggested Resources
Our Books & Training Courses
Recommended Reading List
Earn Extra Money
Lose Weight Today!