Northrop Grumman has teamed with Aurora Flight Sciences to produce tactical long-endurance unmanned air vehicles based on Israel Aircraft Industries designs. Details are sparse, but the companies say the agreement is focused on the US military and homeland-security markets.
Aurora has licensed IAI's line of UAVs weighing from 320kg (700lb) to 550kg, says John Langford, president of the Manassas, Virginia-based company. Under a teaming agreement, Northrop Grumman will supply mission-specific subsystems and act as prime contractor for US programmes.
"This is the first global UAV alliance," says Langford. The agreement is focused on emerging opportunities for lower- to medium-altitude tactical UAVs with 20- to 30h-plus endurance, says Robert Mitchell, Northrop Grumman senior vice-president, unmanned systems.
Candidate requirements include the US Army's planned extended-range multipurpose UAV to replace the IAI/Northrop Grumman Hunter.
In addition to producing IAI-designed UAVs for the US market, Aurora will act in a "Skunk Works-type" role, providing rapid prototyping support to Northrop Grumman. The company is developing its own designs, including the Golden Eye ducted-fan vertical take-off and landing UAV.
Source: Flight International
