AeroVironment receives $14.8m digital Raven retrofit kit order

13th April 2011 - 10:37 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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AeroVironment, Inc. announced that it received a firm-fixed-price contract order valued at $14,773,816 under an existing contract with the US Army. The order comprises digital Raven small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) retrofit kits. Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2011.

The Raven unmanned aircraft is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for "over the hill" and "around the corner" reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. US armed forces use Raven systems extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection. Each Raven system typically consists of three aircraft, two ground control stations and spares.

In addition to the Raven system, AeroVironment's small UAS include Puma and Wasp, which are also hand-launched and controlled by AeroVironment's hand-held ground control station. Each aircraft in AeroVironment's family of small UAS is interoperable and tailored to address a variety of operational user needs. AeroVironment's UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AeroVironment has delivered thousands of small unmanned aircraft to date. International purchasers of Raven systems include Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Norway.

Source: AeroVironment

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