An AAI built Shadow UAS flying on a training mission out of Fort Huachuca, Arizona crashed on Monday evening. The aircraft went down 2.5 miles north of Rugge-Hamilton Airfield, near Whetstone and has burned about 2.5 acres. No one was hurt. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Category Archives: Military UAS
Gorgon Stares But Can’t See
A draft report by the US Air Force’s 53rd Wing Group at Eglin Air Force Base said that the new system, dubbed Gorgon Stare*, had “significant limitations,” and is “not operationally effective” and should therefore not be deployed in the field. The Sierra Nevada built device transmits live video from nine cameras and is intended to cover a three-mile area. It has been in development for the last two years. Testers found 13 serious deficiencies in the system, including:
ManTech Wins $57M Naval Contract
ManTech International Corporation, a leading provider of innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programmes, has announced that the company has been awarded a $57 million contract by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) to provide engineering, technical and administrative support for naval aircraft (including unmanned aircraft) and systems. The contract has a one-year period of performance plus four option years.
Finland UAS Bid Shortlist
Finland’s Ministry of Defence has narrowed the field in its competition to provide the Finnish army with mini UAS. The shortlist is: DRAC (EADS Cassidian), Spylite (BlueBird) , Skylark (Elbit) , Bird-Eye 650 (IAI) and the Orbiter (Aeronautics Defense Systems). The Finnish army plans to acquire 30-45 Unmanned Aircraft Sysytems in a deal valued at around $25 million. The bid is expected to be narrowed down to two finalists in February 2011, with a contract to be awarded in April.
AAI Splits Into Three
Textron Systems, announced yesterday that AAI, an operating unit of the company, will become three separate operating units – AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, AAI Test & Training and AAI Logistics & Technical Services – led by Steven Reid, Bob Peters and Diane Giuliani, respectively. Reid, Peters and Giuliani have been promoted to senior vice presidents and general managers of their businesses, reporting to Fred Strader, Textron Systems’ president and chief executive officer.
US Army Accelerates UAS Deliveries
The US Army is speeding up delivery of some of its newer Unmanned Aircraft System assets such as the Gray Eagle and expanding the size and range of its overall fleet to include a Family of Small UAS and a Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing UAS. “We’re going to accelerate Gray Eagle yet again. We’re accelerating from two systems per year to three systems per year, which will result in seventeen systems being procured by FY 2014,” said Tim Owings, deputy project manager for Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Elbit to Supply Hermes 450 UAS to Brazil
Hermes 450 Photo:Antonio Riciere
Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that its Brazilian subsidiary, Aeroeletrônica Ltda. (AEL), has been awarded a contract to supply Hermes® 450 UAS to the Brazilian Air Force. The project is a part of the Brazilian Air Forces’ objective to establish independent UAS capabilities.
IAI Delivers First 12 UAS to Russia
IAI has delivered a dozen UAS, including the short-range Bird-Eye 400 and I-View Mk 150 aircraft, and the longer-range Searcher II, in recent weeks as part of an Israeli effort to encourage the Russians not to provide Iran and Syria with advanced weapons systems, according to The Jerusalem Post.