US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS
Textron Systems remains in the running for FTUAS with Aerosonde Mk. 4.8 HQ UAS. (Photo: Textron)
The US Army plans to procure a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV currently in service with the US Army's Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). The FTUAS is being developed under the wider Future UAS (FUAS) programme.
Griffon Aerospace and Textron systems have been selected for the final two competition stages to meet the US Army’s FTUAS requirement which will see the companies conduct flight demonstrations before providing production representative prototypes for final evaluation.
The Textron’s Aerosonde Mk.4.8 HQ UAS and Griffon Aerospace FVR-90 were selected after the completion of Option 1, which culminated in a preliminary design review, and Option 2, which ended with a critical design review to establish prototype baseline.
Under Option 3 the two companies will conduct flight demonstrations and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) third-party verification. The process will include putting the platform into soldier’s hands and consider characteristics such as Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL), acoustic signature, and deployment.
The two companies were also awarded Option 4 where production representative prototypes will be delivered for use in testing and operational demonstrations and also include environmental, electromagnetic and environmental effects, transportability and flight tests ending production readiness review.
The US Army noted that “FTUAS provides transformational capabilities including, VTOL for runway independence, On-The-Move command and control, soldier led field level maintenance, and enables rapid capability insertions, further allowing the system to keep pace with technology”.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise]()
Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise
Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.
-
![EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward]()
EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward
EOS Defence Systems officially launched its Slinger anti-drone system in 2023. The system features a remote weapon station, visual sensors and a Northrop Grumman 30mm cannon with specially designed ammunition, combined with EOS’s stabilisation and pointing technology.
-
![Czech government developing a plan for air defence beyond 2030 alongside NATO integration]()
Czech government developing a plan for air defence beyond 2030 alongside NATO integration
The Czech Armed Forces is set to receive four Israeli-made SPYDER long-range missile defence systems, the first of which was delivered earlier this year. They will be a key part of the country’s multilayered air defence system.
-
![Bidders for Australia’s long-range fires requirement push development of offerings]()
Bidders for Australia’s long-range fires requirement push development of offerings
Lockheed Martin is competing against a joint Kongsberg and Thales team to meet Australia’s requirement for a land-based, long-range fires system to protect Australia’s northern approaches. Both bidders have announced recent developments on associated missiles.
-
![How do land and air defense forces defend against complex threats?]()
How do land and air defense forces defend against complex threats?
Learn how RTX systems defend against complex attacks from adversaries including hostile drones, and multi-range missiles.
