AAI receives $22.3 million to extend TUAV production
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United Industrial Corporation has announced that its AAI subsidiary has received an additional $22.3 million to extend production on its ongoing program to field the US army's next-generation Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) system.
This most recent addition to the TUAV contract is said to include the production of five additional Shadow TUAV systems for the US army, bringing the current total value of the TUAV program to $135 million.
According to a statement, this production extension follows the Shadow TUAV system's exceptional performance at the government-conducted Operational Tempo (OPTEMPO) demonstration in late 2001, as well as the TUAV program's 'Winter Assessment' in December of 2001.
Earlier last year, United Industrial's AAI subsidiary completed and delivered the first four TUAV limited-rate initial production (LRIP) systems previously ordered by the army, which are now in active use for everything from environmental testing to training purposes.
Given the success of the program to date, the company is confident that additional production awards will follow at an incremental pace, with perhaps as many as 31 additional systems ordered over the next 3 years, with a value of more than $150 million.
The Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) System is designed to provide brigade commanders with improved surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
