Textron Programs Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $9,032,500 modification (P00009) to contract W911QY-20-C-0025 for an Aerosonde MK4.7 plane. Aerosonde Mk 4.7 is an expeditionary Small Unmanned Plane System (SUAS) for tactical land-based and shipboard missions, field-proven over greater than 100,000 flight hours in desert warmth and arctic chilly. Work will probably be carried out in Hunt Valley, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 27, 2023. Fiscal 2021 International Army Gross sales (Nigeria) funds within the quantity of $9,032,500 had been obligated on the time of the award. U.S. Military Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting exercise.
The Aerosonde is a small unmanned aerial car (UAV) designed to gather climate information, together with temperature, atmospheric strain, humidity, and wind measurements over oceans and distant areas. The Aerosonde was developed by Insitu, and is now manufactured by Aerosonde Ltd, which is a strategic enterprise of AAI Company (AAI was acquired by Textron in 2007). The Aerosonde is powered by a modified Enya R120 mannequin plane engine, and carries on board a small pc, meteorological devices, and a GPS receiver for navigation. Additionally it is utilized by america Armed Forces for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Commercial
On 5 March 2012, the U.S. Particular Operations Command (SOCOM) awarded AAI a contract to supply the Aerosonde-G for his or her Mid-Endurance UAS II program. By November 2015, Textron Programs was performing Aerosonde operations in “eight or 9” nations for its customers, together with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Drive, and SOCOM, in addition to for industrial customers consisting of a buyer within the oil and fuel business. As an alternative of shopping for {hardware}, prospects pay for “sensor hours,” and the corporate decides what number of plane are produced to fulfill necessities. 4,000 fee-for-service hours had been being carried out month-to-month, and the Aerosonde had exceeded 110,000 flight hours in service.
The Mark 4.7 carries interchangable daytime coloration and evening time FLIR video cameras and a laser pointer. The plane’s built-in launch and restoration system makes use of a catapult and internet to permit for transferring recoveries. The Aerosonde also can make a floor stomach touchdown. The Aerosonde might be outfitted with the Piccolo II Autopilot and TASE200 Gimbal in addition to different sensors. Textron Programs supply versatile choices prospects’ mission targets, and assist system gross sales with a longtime coaching curriculum, units and educational companies. The corporate additionally supply a hybrid method, together with hands-on coaching for buyer operators and maintainers.
