The US Army is to open its Close Range Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle (CR-TUAV) programme to a fast-track competition, with "fly-off" flight trials to be completed by August.
The competition will be conducted in two phases, with the first to demonstrate system capabilities. The second phase calls for selection of a contractor to enter into low-rate initial production (LRIP).
The timing of the programme will only allow for procurement of off-the-shelf TUAVs. The US Army plans to pick competitors for the fly-off by 31 May, with the trials running from 9 July to early August.
The LRIP contract award could come by the end of September. Project officials say the target cost of each CR-TUAV system is less than $4 million. The US Army's new operational requirements document calls for only 50km range (30 miles) and 4h on station.
Likely competitors include Alliant Techsystems with Outrider, and Mission Technologies with Hellfox, the original UAV design for Outrider. Bell Helicopter officials are studying the draft RFP to decide whether they will compete with the Eagle Eye.
The fly-off may also involve the General Atomics Prowler, AAI Shadow, the Freewing Scorpion and Northrop Grumman/TTL Spectre. TRW has teamed with S-TEC Unmanned Technologies, which produces the STM-5B Sentry.
Launch of the CR-TUAV competition follows a joint services Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) programme won by the Outrider. The demonstration produced mixed results, and plans for a joint programme fell apart last year when the US Navy and Marine Corps dropped out.
Source: Flight International
