Northrop Grumman will offer the Swiss Aircraft and Systems Enterprise Ranger tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV) as part of its proposal for the UK's Watchkeeper intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance system.
The US company will also offer its RQ-8AFire Scout, which is in US Navy-funded engineering and manufacturing development, as the longer-endurance UAV. The Ranger is in service with Swiss and Finnish armies.
Bob Mitchell, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems vice-president advanced systems development, says the Fire Scout will be modified with upgraded systems to meet Watchkeeper requirements.
Northrop Grumman has also teamed with Spanish shipbuilder Izar to offer the vertical take-off and landing Fire Scout to Spain and Norway.
All four competitors have now revealed their Watchkeeper selections. BAE Systems is offering the General Atomics RQ-1 Predator and AAI Shadow; Lockheed Martin the EADS Eagle and Meggitt Spectre 3; and Thales the Elbit Hermes 150 and 450.
A downs election to two teams for the systems-integration assurance phase is due this month, with a winner to be chosen next year.
Meanwhile, the US Army and TRW are discussing arming the TRW/Israel Aircraft Industries Hunter UAV. The army bought seven Hunter systems before cancelling the programme, although it has proposed buying additional systems. IAI and TRW will jointly develop the armed Hunter.
Source: Flight International
