SAIC's bid for the US Navy's vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) project has been dealt another blow by the crash of its prototype.
The SAIC Vigilante air vehicle crashed on 20 April during a test flight at a small airfield in Virginia.
The composite fuselage suffered extensive damage, but the company planned to have the remotely piloted air vehicle repaired in two days and flying within a week.
SAIC has already fallen behind other competitors for the US Navy UAV demonstrator programme, Bell Helicopter's Eagle Eye and Bombardier's CL-327 Guardian.
SAIC has failed to deliver a test article to the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona for the 50h flight test programme, which is scheduled to end on 11 June.
Source: Flight International
