CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON
Northrop Grumman and Thales UK deliver technical submissions for UAV programme, with selection due in mid-2004
The two companies in competition for the UK's £800 million ($1.4billion) Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle requirement deliveredtheir technical submissions for the project to the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) on 18 December.
Northrop Grumman ISS International and Thales UK are vying to equip the UK armed forces with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance services from 2006, through the delivery of tactical- and medium-level drones. To operate within the UK's future network-enabled battlespace, the UAVs are scheduled to achieve full operating capability in 2007-8.
Candidate platforms for the requirement are the RUAG Aerospace Ranger and the RQ-8A Firescout vertical take-off UAV promoted by Northrop Grumman; and the Thales-backed Hermes 180 and 450 systems developed by the Silver Arrow subsidiary of Israel's Elbit Systems.
The Watchkeeper project's 12-month system integration and assurance phase will conclude next February, and the companies will by 26 February file their final pricing proposals to conduct the demonstration, manufacture and initial support element of the programme.
DPA officials expect to select a preferred bidder for the requirement in mid-2004, following the conclusion of risk-reduction activities, including a series of flight demonstrations at Qinetiq's Aberporth test range in north Wales in February-March 2004. UK project officials have already attended deployment trials of the UAV systems in Israel and the USA, according to an industry source close to the project.
If selected to deliver the Watchkeeper capability, Thales UK will form a joint venture company to manufacture Watchkeeper 180 and 450 derivatives of the Hermes air vehicles in the UK, says chief executive Alex Dorrian. The new entity will retain intellectual property rights and hold the ability to promote the platforms to potential export customers, he says. Northrop Grumman officials declined to provide additional details of their bid.
Source: Flight International
