Space Travel News  
AeroVironment Awarded Contract Option For Raven UAV

AV's Raven system is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for "over the hill" and "around the corner" reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. U.S. and allied armed forces use Ravens extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection.
by Staff Writers
Monrovia CA (SPX) Feb 06, 2009
AeroVironment has announced that the U.S. Army has ordered additional RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and associated services for its fiscal year 2009 requirements by the exercise of an option under an existing contract.

Each Raven system typically consists of three aircraft, two ground control stations, and spares. The aggregate order value is $41.7 million and is fully funded.

The award was released under the existing U.S. Army joint small UAS program of record for AV's Raven system and will provide systems, spares and services for the Army and Marine Corps.

This program allows for contract additions from the Army, Marine Corps, Special Operations Command and other U.S. military services. The items and services provided under this award on this multi-year contract are scheduled to be delivered over the next 12 months.

"We are pleased to support the Army and Marine Corps' ongoing, multi-year programs of record for small UAS as they continue to deploy this valuable capability throughout their force structures," said John Grabowsky, AV executive vice president and general manager of unmanned aircraft systems.

"We remain committed to ensuring that wherever U.S. ground forces operate, our Raven systems reliably help them perform their missions more effectively and more safely."

AV's Raven system is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for "over the hill" and "around the corner" reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. U.S. and allied armed forces use Ravens extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection.

In addition to the Raven system, AV's small UAS include Puma AE and Wasp, which are also hand-launched and controlled by AV's hand-held ground control station. Each aircraft in AV's family of small UAS is interoperable and tailored to address a variety of operational user needs.

AV's UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AV has delivered more than 11,000 small unmanned aircraft to date. International purchasers of Raven systems include Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain.

Related Links
AeroVironment
UAV News - Suppliers and Technology



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


AFRL Picks Industry Team As Phase II Integrator For Automated Aerial Refueling
St. Louis MO (SPX) Feb 06, 2009
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded an industry team led by Boeing a four-year contract worth $49 million to continue developing technology that will enable an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to autonomously rendezvous with a tanker aircraft and refuel.







  • Two Rockets Fly Through Auroral Arc
  • U.S. rocketry competition is under way
  • ATK And NASA Complete Major Milestones For NASA Constellation Program
  • KSC Operations And Checkout Facility Ready To Start Orion Spacecraft Integration

  • NOAA-N Prime Launch Rescheduled For Friday
  • Ariane 5 Ready For HOT BIRD 10, NSS-9 And Spirale Satellites Launch
  • Arianespace To Launch Hispasat 1E
  • Arianespace seals four-billion-euro rocket deal

  • Shuttle Engineers Study Fuel Valve
  • NASA delays Discovery mission to space station
  • STS-119 Mission Preps Move Forward
  • Discovery Gets New Valves - Crew Practices Simulated Liftoff

  • A European OasISS In Space
  • ISS Partners Including Russia Agree To Use Orbiter Until 2020
  • Russia To Use Two Launch Pads At Baikonur For ISS Missions
  • Kogod Students Pioneer Branding Potential Of International Space Station

  • MIT researchers make 'sixth sense' gadget
  • Iran insists satellite launch has no military aim
  • Western powers worried about Iran satellite technology
  • NASA Ames Becomes Home To Newly Launched Singularity University

  • China plans own satellite navigation system by 2015: state media
  • Fengyun-3A Weather Satellite Begins Weather Monitoring
  • Shenzhou-7 Monitor Satellite Finishes Mission After 100 Days In Space
  • China Launches Third Fengyun-2 Series Weather Satellite

  • NASA And Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover
  • NASA And Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover
  • ASI Chaos Small Robot To Participate In Series Of Exercises
  • Iowa Staters Advance Developmental Robotics With Goal Of Teaching Robots To Learn

  • Antarctic Expedition Prepared Researchers For Mars Project
  • Geologic Features In Martian Craters Suggest Deposition And Flow Of Water And Or Ice
  • Spirit Resumes Driving
  • NASA And Google Launch Virtual Exploration Of Mars

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement