Insitu delivers Integrator STUAV to US Marines
Insitu has announced that it has delivered and flown the first of two Integrator Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that will provide the US Marine Corps an early operational capability for the Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) programme. The company made the announcement in a 15 February 2012 statement.
The STUAS programme was awarded to Insitu for its Integrator UAS in July 2010 to provide persistent maritime and land-based tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data collection and dissemination capabilities to the warfighter. Just six months after contract award, the first operational assessment was completed and the Marine Corps elected to obtain an early operational capability.
According to the company, the Marines are acquiring the first system through a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated (GOCO) business arrangement. The Marines will own the system at Twentynine Palms while Insitu Field Service Representatives (FSRs), who have accumulated more than 575,000 combat flight hours with the ScanEagle UAS, will operate and maintain it.
A second system was delivered to NAVAIR earlier this month. As the early operational capability exercises progress, the US Marine Corps will continue to collaborate with Insitu on the development of the Integrator-variant, designated RQ-21A, which is on track for delivery in 2013. The team is building hardware to support flight testing, which will culminate in a second Operational Assessment (OA-2) at the end of 2012.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
US Navy foresees an uncrewed future for its surface and underwater fleet
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
-
Tekever unveils new swarm-controlling UAS
Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.
-
Ready for the race: Air separation drone swarms vs. air defence systems
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
-
Israel’s MALE UAVs ‘must adapt’ to Iranian-made air defences
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.
-
Hundreds more UAS sent to Ukraine forces with thousands more on the way
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war have been using UAS for effective low-cost attacks, as well as impactful web and social media footage. Thousands more have now been committed to Ukrainian forces.
-
AI and software companies selected for US Army Robotic Combat Vehicle subsystems
The US Army has intentions to develop light, medium and heavy variants of the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as part of the branche’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle family.