LTC Schmidt's Philosophy Forum Lecture

LTC Eric C. Schmidt gave a lecture to the Philosophy Forum titled “Remotely Piloted Aircraft: The Role of RPAs in the War on Terror.” The next day, LTC Schmidt gave a secret brief on the same topic to select Cadets and faculty. LTC Schmidt serves as the Deputy Commander, 27th Special Operations Group. The 27 SOG provides combat ready forces to joint force commanders around the world. Its Airmen perform a variety of specialized airpower missions including lethal strike, ISR, fixed wing and tilt rotor battlefield mobility, helicopter aerial refueling, and other specialized combat support missions. The 27th SOG directs the training and readiness for ten squadrons operating various special operations aircraft. LTC Schmidt’s visit to USMA is linked to a DEP-run Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) AIAD this summer. The AIAD will discuss the ethical implications of the US and Great Britain’s use of RPAs with just war theorists at Oxford and a Royal Air Force RPA pilot in London.