AAI Flies Shadow at Opening of US Army Unmanned Aircraft System Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center

AAI Corporation announced today that it has flown its Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System in honor of the official opening of the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Project Office Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center (RIAC) at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.

The RIAC will serve as a consolidated location at which the Army will test UAS technologies for faster deployment to warfighters in the field.

AAI has been working for several months to seamlessly transition its UAS acceptance and flight test operations to the RIAC in support of the Army’s efforts. The company’s developmental flight testing and training for its government-owned, contractor-operated Shadow teams also have moved to Dugway Proving Ground. Aircraft acceptance and final flight testing activities are expected to transition from Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to the RIAC in fiscal year 2010 without disruption to ongoing flight testing and deliveries. 

“We are closely aligned with the Army’s goal to optimize the process by which we get valuable unmanned aircraft assets out into the field for our warfighters,” says AAI Vice President of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Steven Reid. “There’s nothing more important. The RIAC’s abundant air space and expanding infrastructure will allow us to work collaboratively at a single location, quickly integrating new technologies to support our warfighters.”

To date, AAI has received orders for 113 Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems and has delivered 85. Each system includes four Shadow aircraft; two One System® ground control stations and ground data terminals; four One System Remote Video Terminals, or OSRVTs; a One System portable ground control station; and associated components and support equipment.

Shadow systems have amassed more than 435,000 total flight hours, the majority of which have been in support of Army, Army National Guard, Army Special Forces and Marine Corps combat operations.