The US General Accounting Office (GAO) has criticised the US Army's acquisition of AAI Shadow 200 tactical unmanned air vehicles (TUAV) as too risky .
The US Army plans to buy 44 RQ-7A Shadow 200 systems for an estimated $430 million. Each system comprises three air vehicles, two ground stations and launch and recovery equipment.
The original acquisition strategy called for low-rate initial production (LRIP)of four systems, prior to completion of development and operational testing, followed by full rate production in September next year.
In March, the army revised its strategy to field systems more quickly, increasing LRIP production to eight. A final decision to produce the additional systems will be made in February, two months before operational testing.
The Congressional watchdog says the army's original programme was sound. "The army has a questionable basis for revising its acquisition strategy to procure four additional Shadow 200 systems in February 2001, before operational testing is conducted," the GAO says.
Source: Flight International
