UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
The United Kingdom (UK) has received into service its final five General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft systems, and will be transporting them into theatre “in the near future”, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said on 21 February. Continue reading
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has announced a programme to spend about 320 billion roubles (US $9 billion) by 2020 on military UAS, according to local news agency ITAR-TASS. Continue reading
Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designers at Navmar Applied Sciences Corp. in Warminster, Pa., will upgrade their TigerShark medium-sized UAS with electro-optical sensor payload and airframe improvements under terms of a $44.7 million U.S. Navy contract announced late last week.
Warsaw is backtracking on its decision to withdraw 32 Sukhoi Su-22 strike fighters from service by 2015, and replace them with armed unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed recently that the 32 Sukhoi-22s stationed at Swidwin will remain in service for at least 3 years, or even 10. Continue reading
U.S. manufacturers including General Atomics, which makes the Predator, can only sell to a few countries because of tight export restrictions. The controls give rival UAS makers from countries such as Israel and China a chance to win more business in the growing global market for unmanned aircraft systems, which one group forecasts to more than double in the next decade. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy successfully flew the second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter for the first time. Conducted at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, California, the flight will allow the team to ramp up testing efforts to prepare the system for operations. Continue reading