UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
Gray Eagle with Hellfire missiles at Camp Taji, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Jason Sweeney)
Gray Eagle operators of QRC-1-R1 Camp Taji, Iraq recently demonstrated firing six Hellfire missiles into the abandoned hulks of light military tactical vehicles positioned at Shadow Range in western Iraq. A Shadow from the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division out of Al-Asad was flying nearby and laser designated the target.
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Relative Navigation system exceeded accuracy requirements during recent flight tests for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Automated Aerial Refuelling (AAR) programme.
Embraer Defense and Security and AEL Sistemas, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd announced in LAAD 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, the signature of a strategic agreement envisaging the evaluation of joint exploration of UAS, including the potential creation of a company with majority participation of Embraer Defense and Security to work in the segment.
Z Microsystems, a leading provider of mission-ready computing systems, announced that it has acquired the intellectual property and product development team of Enhanced Video Devices (EVD), a developer of image enhancement technology.
India’s Defence Research and Development Organization told the Times of India recently that the aim of the secretive AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme is to develop a UCAV for the Indian Air Force in seven to eight years.
AeroVironment, Inc. announced that it received a firm-fixed-price contract order valued at $14,773,816 under an existing contract with the U.S. Army. The order comprises digital Raven small UAS retrofit kits. Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2011.
Indra’s Pelican rotary wing UAS has received the Special Airworthiness Certificate (CAEE) by the Spanish State Aviation Safety Agency, a body within the Ministry of Public Works, to perform integration, test and demo flights.
Boeing was awarded on April 8 a $12,355,455 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for additional Mid-Wave Infrared UAS intelligence reconnaissance surveillance services in for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Work is expected to be completed in May 2011. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity.
Source: United States Department of Defense (DoD)