Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA
Bombardier Defence Systems has won an Australian Department of Defence competition for the short-term lease of a tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV), with its Guardian CL-327 vertical take-off and landing system.
A contract is expected to be signed in the next two to three weeks. Bombardier and the Australian project office have declined to comment.
The project had been contested by General Atomics with the I-Gnat and Prowler II, AAI with the Shadow 600, Kentron with the Seeker, and TRW offering the Hunter. AAI and Kentron have confirmed they were told earlier this month that they had been unsuccessful.
Bombardier had kept a low profile during the competition, with most other shortlisted contenders unaware that the Canadian company was taking part.
The Australian Army intends to use the leased UAV in land warfare exercises across northern Australia in the third quarter of this year. The trial outcomes will be used to support risk mitigation for the planned purchase of a tactical level UAV system after 2002.
The TUAV trial will start in May, culminating in flight trials starting in July. Part of the test will see Guardian carry out a controlled trial in northern Australia over 10 days, with operational cueing for this stage provided by an Australian Army Raytheon King Air equipped with synthetic aperture radar.
The Canadian-made UAV is also to compete in the US Navy's forthcoming VTOL sea-based UAV competition, a role which may interest the Australian Navy.
Source: Flight International
