The US Army has selected Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems to proceed to the second phase of its RQ-7B Shadow drone replacement program.
The two companies edged out AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman, and Sierra Nevada Corporation in the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Increment 2 competition.
According to the service, Griffon and Textron were chosen after a careful evaluation of proposals focusing on performance, modular open systems approach (MOSA), costs, and associated risks.
In the second phase, the army will evaluate weapon system designs, leading to a critical design review and light demonstrations.
“These systems will undergo numerous evaluation activities such as environmental testing, electromagnetic environmental effects testing, transportability testing, MOSA verification, flight testing, and technical manual verification,” the US Army said.
The FTUAS Program
The US Army’s FTUAS Increment 2 program aims to field a new unmanned aircraft fleet with increased maneuverability, enhanced command and control, and a reduced logistics footprint.
It seeks to replace the legacy RQ-7B Shadow drone, first flown in 1991 to support surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, and battlefield assessment missions.
As part of ongoing army modernization efforts, the new drone must be runway-independent and rapidly deployable.
It should also have a reduced noise signature to improve its survivability on the battlefield.
“FTUAS will revolutionize the way our soldiers fight and win wars by providing enhanced reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition with unparalleled speed and agility,” project manager Col. Danielle Medaglia explained.
Downselected Proposals
Textron Systems is offering its Aerosonde unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to replace the Shadow.
Designed for expeditionary land- and sea-based operations, the system can carry over 40 payloads, including electronic warfare systems, synthetic aperture radar, and signals intelligence systems.
It has reportedly accumulated over 600,000 flight hours, including in desert heat and Arctic cold.
Its competitor, Griffon’s Valiant, is a tiltrotor UAV with vertical takeoff and landing capability.
It features long, sailplane-like wings for low drag, and its structure has been modified for lighter weight.
