AAI to Enhance Shadow Tactical UAS with All-Digital TCDL

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AAI to Enhance Shadow Tactical UAS with All-Digital TCDL
UNITED STATES - 10 AUGUST 2009

(Hunt Valley, MD - August 10, 2009) -- AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it has received a more than $32 million award from the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for engineering and manufacturing activities to enhance the Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (TUAS) with the tactical common data link (TCDL).

The TCDL is a Ku-band digital data link that delivers wide-bandwidth communications using common data link, or CDL, waveform standards. It is being integrated using a NATO standardization agreement (STANAG) 4586-compliant architecture that enables interoperability with the latest NATO and U.S. Army standards.

The enhanced system will be designed to provide Shadow TUAS users a common interface with other military systems that incorporate TCDL and these interoperability standards, including the Extended-Range, Multi-Purpose Sky Warrior(R) unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the Hunter UAS, and the Apache helicopter. TCDL can accommodate state-of-the-art digital sensor technology. In addition, its encryption capabilities provide enhanced data security.

"The incredible success our customers have experienced with the Shadow TUAS during more than 420,000 operational hours continually drives us to make the system more multi-mission capable," says Vice President of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Steven Reid of AAI. "The integration of TCDL provides greater flexibility, data security and interoperability to support mission success. It is exciting to help bring battlefield interoperability across U.S. Army manned and unmanned aviation assets."


Source: Textron Inc.

 

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AAI Flies Shadow(R) at Opening of U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft System Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center
UNITED STATES - 24 SEPTEMBER 2009

AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it has flown its Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System in honor of the official opening of the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Project Office Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center (RIAC) at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. The RIAC will serve as a consolidated location at which the Army will test UAS technologies for faster deployment to warfighters in the field.

AAI has been working for several months to seamlessly transition its UAS acceptance and flight test operations to the RIAC in support of the Army’s efforts. The company’s developmental flight testing and training for its government-owned, contractor-operated Shadow teams also have moved to Dugway Proving Ground. Aircraft acceptance and final flight testing activities are expected to transition from Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to the RIAC in fiscal year 2010 without disruption to ongoing flight testing and deliveries.

“We are closely aligned with the Army’s goal to optimize the process by which we get valuable unmanned aircraft assets out into the field for our warfighters,” says AAI Vice President of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Steven Reid. “There’s nothing more important. The RIAC’s abundant air space and expanding infrastructure will allow us to work collaboratively at a single location, quickly integrating new technologies to support our warfighters.”

To date, AAI has received orders for 113 Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems and has delivered 85. Each system includes four Shadow aircraft; two One System® ground control stations and ground data terminals; four One System Remote Video Terminals, or OSRVTs; a One System portable ground control station; and associated components and support equipment.

Shadow systems have amassed more than 435,000 total flight hours, the majority of which have been in support of Army, Army National Guard, Army Special Forces and Marine Corps combat operations.


Source : Textron Inc.

 

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AAI's Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System Logs 100,000th Mission
UNITED STATES - 3 NOVEMBER 2009

HUNT VALLEY, Md. | AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced that its Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS) have completed 100,000 missions. With 113 systems ordered and 87 delivered, Shadow systems are deployed with the U.S. Army, Army National Guard, Army Special Forces and Marine Corps. These systems have amassed more than 445,000 flight hours, the majority of which have been in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ongoing system upgrades have been critical to enhancing the system’s performance and reliability, enabling customers to evolve and expand mission profiles. While initially utilized as a day/night reconnaissance platform, AAI is now adding the capability to acquire and designate a target to its Shadow TUAS. In addition, deployed Shadow aircraft also are being equipped with a Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System, or SINCGARS, communications relay.

“The Shadow aircraft’s mission set continues to expand through our ongoing enhancement activities,” says Vice President of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Steven Reid. “We are fortunate to have several touch points with our users, from focus groups to direct feedback received by our field service representatives who work alongside deployed Shadow units. This valuable feedback keeps us connected to our customers’ ever-changing mission needs so we can deliver system upgrades that meet those needs or anticipate new ones.”

Among current upgrades is a new lithium battery designed to provide power in the event of generator failure, giving the aircraft more than an hour and a half of additional flight time to land safely on base without necessitating an emergency parachute recovery. AAI also is integrating a new electronic fuel injection engine and a new fuel delivery system, which together are expected to bolster system reliability. The new battery, electronic fuel injection engine and fuel delivery system are expected to be fielded starting in late 2009.

AAI’s interoperable ground control technologies also are growing in maturity to deliver a wider range of user capabilities. The company’s new Universal Ground Control Station, or UGCS, builds on the successful One System® Ground Control Station with greater operational flexibility and scalability, as well as enhanced features for command and control, joint services interoperability, information exchange and user ergonomics.

“The Shadow system of today is not the Shadow system of six years ago, when it was first deployed into combat operations,” says Reid. “Its capabilities, reliability and user friendliness have grown exponentially. What won’t change is the teamwork AAI employees display to keep these valuable assets in the field with more than 95 percent availability, our commitment to developing the most robust system possible, and our responsiveness to existing and future user needs.”


Source: Textron Systems