US buys 21 tactical resupply drones for navy and marines
The US DoD has awarded Survice Engineering an $8 million contract for the production and delivery of 21 TRV-150C Tactical Resupply Uncrewed System (TRUAS) and 12 months of system engineering programme management services.
The efforts will support the USN and US Marine Corps Small TUAS Program Office.
The works will be performed in Churchville, Maryland, and are expected to be completed in March 2024.
The TRV-150 is a VTOL-capable cargo-carrying UAS manufactured by Malloy Aeronautics and sold by Survice Engineering in the US.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, TRUAS, sometimes called Small ULS-A, is a USMC programme for a UAS capable of transporting at least 60lb (27.2kg) of cargo through a 10km radius in various configurations.
Out of six vendors that entered a challenge in January 2020, Malloy Aeronautics' T-150 and Chartis Federal's MK4-RX were tested in a Field User Capability Assessment (FUCA) in March 2021.
According to the USMC's FY2024 Budget Estimate documents, another 172 units will be acquired until FY2028, giving the TRUAS programme an estimated value of $65.15 million.
Examples of the platform were committed to Ukraine as military aid in May 2022.
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