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RAAF confirms SUAS requirement
The Royal Australian Air Force has confirmed it is planning to buy small unmanned air systems for use in force protection roles and will acquire two systems to support concept development, test and evaluation.
The initial acquisition has seen capability approvals for a new minor capital equipment project, designated MIC 965, “small UAV for force protection”. The Australian Defence Material Organisation is currently carrying out advanced project scoping, including preparation of an acquisition model.
Data released by the DMO says the two trials systems are expected to comprise “six air vehicles, two unmanned ground control stations and antennae; and information dissemination system; a support package and day and night sensors”.
No timeframe data for the trials phase acquisition has yet been issued.
The Australian military has two SUAVs types in its current inventory, the Elbit Skylark and a small number of Aerovironment Ravens. The Australian special forces briefly fielded a small number of Codarra Avatar systems during the period 1997-2000 with some of these used operationally in East Timor.
By Peter La Franchi, Canberra
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