Quad A 2011: STUAS completes OA-1

20th April 2011 - 11:24 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Integrator, the US Navy's Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) has completed its first Operational Assessment (OA-1), according to manufacturer Insitu.

Describing it as a 'critical milestone' in the programme's development, Insitu said the air vehicle completed a series of mission scenarios designed to 'assess [its] operational suitability'.

Awarded to Insitu in July last year, the STUAS programme is designed to provide NAVAIR with 'persistent maritime and land-based tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data collection and dissemination capabilities'.

According to a company spokesperson, a 'favourable operational assessment could mean delivery of a number of Integrator systems to the US Marine Corps before the end of the year'. Dave Sliwa, director of sales at Insitu, said NAVAIR had the option to exercise an early operational capability and he told Shephard that a plan was being considered for such a demonstration. He said this could be provided on a 'systems on services basis for customers in theatre'. In addition, he said a decision on low-rate initial production was expected in 2013.

The news follows a three-day system requirements review for STUAS conducted by the navy in February, which established system requirements and determined how they would be validated and tested, the company said.