US Taps AeroVironment to Supply Drones to Undisclosed Ally
American defense contractor AeroVironment has announced a contract from the US military to supply unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to an undisclosed allied nation.
The $4.1 million agreement is for delivery of Puma and Wasp drones, initial spares packages, and support services to the allied country by 2022.
Puma is a small UAS for armed forces support during land and maritime operations. It can operate for up to 2.5 hours at a range of 12.4 miles (20 kilometers). It is equipped with an extended range antenna and a sensor suite for enhanced imaging capabilities.
The Wasp is a lightweight UAS that delivers “best-in-class” capabilities, such as stealthy maneuverability, superior imaging, encrypted video, and exceptional ease of use. It boasts advanced avionics allowing operators to manually or autonomously navigate through various terrain.
“Allied forces around the world continue to adopt and deploy AeroVironment’s battle-proven small unmanned aircraft systems in order to increase the mission effectiveness and safety of their frontline forces,” AeroVironment vice president Trace Stevenson said in a press release.
