QuadA2012: US Army examining re-engining options for RQ-7 Shadow

3rd April 2012 - 23:49 GMT | by Tony Osborne in Nashville, US

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The US Army is examining the potential of re-engining the RQ-7 Shadow UAV.

Officials from the US Army's UAS Project Office said the moves had been prompted by a need to increase the time between overhaul (TBO) on the RQ-7's Wankel rotary engine but also by a series of engine failures during operations in Afghanistan. Officials say heat and stresses had been affecting engine bearings and this has caused several engine failures in theatre.

A recent request for information resulted in 14 vendors offering alternative engine options.

'The response was huge, previously with the uptake from industry, we would have

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Author

Tony Osborne

Tony was deputy editor of Defence Helicopter and Rotorhub magazines before joining Aviation Week in …

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