AAI has been selected by the US Army to supply its tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV) following a fly-off involving four systems. The initial contract for four low rate initial production TUAVs is worth $41 million.
Cockeysville, Maryland-based AAI's Shadow 200 was selected over the Alliant Techsystems Outrider, General Atomics' Prowler II and the S-Tec Sentry. The AeroVironment Spy Glass, Dyncorp/ Sagem Sperwer and Marconi Astronics/Freewing Scorpion were eliminated from the contest before the fly-off in November at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
The first four systems will be used by the US Army for operational test and evaluation, after which the army has an option to buy six to 10 full-rate production systems, says AAI. The company aims to deliver the first four by the end of this year. AAI says the army has a requirement for up to 44 TUAV systems, which could be worth up to $300 million to the company over five years.
The army's requirement is for a brigade-level TUAV with a range of 50km (30nm), costing under $4 million each and comprising at least three electro-optical and infrared sensor-equipped air vehicles and a ground control station. AAI says the Shadow includes three air vehicles, three ground stations, a hydraulic launcher and logistics support.
The US Army re-opened its TUAV contest after completing a technology demonstration programme with the Outrider and deciding the system did not meet its requirements. The Shadow 200 is a derivative of the Pioneer developed by AAI and Israel Aircraft Industries. The air vehicle, which first flew in 1992, is powered by a UEL 741 rotary engine. AAI leads a team of Raytheon (ground station), United Defense (logistics), Camber (programme management) and DP Associates (training).
• Northrop Grumman's Ryan Aeronautical Center has begun autonomous testing of a vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTOL UAV).
Northrop Grumman is teamed with Schweizer Aircraft and Lockheed Martin to bid on the USN's VTOL UAV competition. The system uses an unmanned version of Schweizer's 330SP light helicopter fitted with electro-optical and infrared sensors and a laser designator. In October, a 41 mission, 38h manned flight test programme was completed at Schweizer. Shipped to San Diego, the air vehicle was modified for autonomous operations, and testing resumed in December.
Source: Flight International
