Puma II AE for Canada’s MCDVs
AeroVironment’s Puma II AE maritime miniature UAS has been selected for fielding aboard the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, the company announced on 28 February.
AeroVironment has partnered with MDA for the programme.
The Puma II AE systems will carry the Mantis i45 sensor and a 360-degree antenna system. The all-environment Mantis i45 gimbal sensor suite delivers improved image resolution and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability for small UAS.
Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment, said: 'The addition of our Mantis i45 sensor and 360-degree antenna system expands the capability of Puma II AE to support maritime operations. This solution also builds on AeroVironment’s extensive operational experience with small UAS to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a low-cost, hand-launched capability that is optimised for contested environments.'
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