The US Army has formally offered its Australian counterpart full technical access to its tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV) programme as part of a BAE Systems Australia-led bid for the Joint Project 129 (JP129) requirement. BAE Systems Australia is offering a "tailored" AAI Shadow 200B UAV system as its baseline bid for the competition.
"The US Army has written to the Australian army providing them a commitment for interoperability, developing a common doctrine [and] training techniques," says Robert Hughes, BAE Australia's bid manager for the JP129 programme.
The US offer also includes support for certification of Australian air vehicles, he says. "We have a very low risk certification path due to the existing acceptance into service by the US Army."
BAE Australia has meanwhile announced new teaming arrangements with Australian-based Aerosonde and CDL Systems of Canada as part of its JP129 TUAV bid. Hughes says Aerosonde's involvement will provide additional operational knowledge in the Australian environment plus in-service support, rather than incorporating its lightweight, long-endurance UAVs into the Shadow architecture.
CDL will provide vehicle control system software as the basis of a modified Shadow 200 ground control architecture incorporating BAE's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance management system and an Australia unique imagery analysis and exploitation suite from Mediaware Solutions.
The BAE Australia-led team faces competition from a Boeing/Israel Aircraft Industries team and Thales-subsidiary ADI teamed with Elbit Systems' Silver Arrow subsidiary. A source selection is due by mid-year.
Source: Flight International
