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US Army moves forward on future tactical UAS without AeroVironment

26th May 2023 - 15:30 GMT | by Harry Lye in London

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The Aerosonde HQ, V-Bat, FVR-90 and Voly M20 remain in the running for FTUAS. (Photos: US DoD)

AeroVironment has been dropped from the hunt to provide the US Army with a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS), leaving Griffon Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Nevada and Textron Systems in the running.

Through the FTUAS competition, the US Army is seeking to find a long-term replacement for its Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV.

The first option phase, option 1, was awarded to all of the Increment 2 base contract recipients apart from AeroVironment this month.

FTUAS is due to enter full-rate production from Q4 FY2025 until Q4 FY2029.

The Aerosonde HQ, V-Bat, FVR-90 and Voly M20 remain in the running. AeroVironment had been offering its Jump 20 Medium UAS.

AeroVironment chairman, president and CEO Wahid Nawabi said: ‘While we are extremely disappointed with the US Army’s decision, we respect it. We

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Author

Harry Lye

Harry Lye was Senior Naval Reporter at Shephard Media.

Harry joined the company in 2021, …

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