U.S. Navy Awards AeroVironment $2.5 Million Contract for Continuation and Expansion of Blackwing UAS Program
October 09 2017 - 9:10AM
Business Wire
- Order including multiple Blackwing™
vehicles, sensor payloads and refurbishment kits to be delivered by
November 2018
- Blackwing delivering valuable new
capabilities to naval undersea warfare since first deployed last
year
Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and
Exposition – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a
global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military
and commercial applications, today announced the receipt of a
contract award from the United States Navy on September 29, 2017,
for continuation and expansion of its Blackwing™ small Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAV) program. The contract includes orders for
multiple Blackwing vehicles, sensor payloads and refurbishment kits
for a total value of $2,578,822. The initial set of vehicles are
anticipated for delivery by May 2018, and final delivery
anticipated by November 2018.
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AeroVironment’s Blackwing is a small,
tube-launched UAS that launches from under the surface of the sea,
from manned submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (Graphic:
Business Wire)
Blackwing is a small, tube-launched unmanned aircraft that
employs an advanced, miniature electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR)
payload, integrated inertial/GPS autopilot system and secure
Digital Data Link (DDL), all packaged into a vehicle that launches
from under the surface of the sea, from manned submarines and
unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
“Since first being deployed just a few months ago, Blackwing has
delivered valuable new capabilities to United States naval undersea
warfare units,” said Kirk Flittie, AeroVironment vice president and
general manager of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment.
“This contract is consistent with the Navy’s plans to resupply
existing vessels and equip additional submarines with the Blackwing
capability.”
Blackwing builds on AeroVironment’s extensive operational
experience with small UAS and its Switchblade® Lethal Miniature
Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) to provide the Navy with a low-cost,
submarine-launched UAS optimized for denied environments.
AeroVironment developed the Blackwing system as part of a 2013 Navy
and United States Pacific Command (PACOM) sponsored Joint
Capabilities Technology Demonstration (JCTD) called Advanced
Weapons Enhanced by Submarine UAS against Mobile targets (AWESUM).
This JCTD was completed in September 2015 with a strong
recommendation to transition the capability into the fleet.
“Blackwing can also be integrated with and deployed from a wide
variety of surface vessels and mobile ground vehicles to provide
rapid response reconnaissance capabilities to help warfighters
proceed with certainty, even in the most challenging settings,
helping to ensure safe and successful missions,” Flittie said.
“AeroVironment’s small UAS – including Raven®, Puma™ AE and
Wasp® AE, as well as Switchblade® loitering missile and its
variants – continue proving their life-saving value with U.S.
forces and increasingly with our allies around the world as our
international footprint grows. We now count more than 40 countries
outside of the U.S. as customers for our family of small UAS,” he
added.
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT)
awarded this contract to AeroVironment, the only manufacturer of
the Blackwing UAS, on a sole source basis in accordance with
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) guidelines.
Visit AeroVironment at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Expo from
October 9–11:
- Booth #201
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center,
Washington DC.
About AeroVironment
AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) provides customers with more
actionable intelligence so they can proceed with certainty. Based
in California, AeroVironment is a global leader in unmanned
aircraft systems, tactical missile systems and electric vehicle
charging and test systems, and serves militaries, government
agencies, businesses and consumers. For more information visit
www.avinc.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that
term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any
statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future
results, performance or achievements, and may contain words such as
"believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "project,"
"plan," or words or phrases with similar meaning. Forward-looking
statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and
assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but
not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and
technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our
business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include,
but are not limited to, reliance on sales to the U.S. government;
availability of U.S. government funding for defense procurement and
R&D programs; changes in the timing and/or amount of government
spending; risks related to our international business, including
compliance with export control laws; potential need for changes in
our long-term strategy in response to future developments;
unexpected technical and marketing difficulties inherent in major
research and product development efforts; changes in the supply
and/or demand and/or prices for our products and services; the
activities of competitors and increased competition; failure of the
markets in which we operate to grow; failure to remain a market
innovator and create new market opportunities; changes in
significant operating expenses, including components and raw
materials; failure to develop new products; the extensive
regulatory requirements governing our contracts with the U.S.
government; product liability, infringement and other claims;
changes in the regulatory environment; and general economic and
business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the
world. For a further list and description of such risks and
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171009005335/en/
AeroVironment, Inc.Steven Gitlin, +1 (626)
357-9983pr@avinc.comorFor AeroVironment, Inc.Mark Boyer, +1 (310)
229-5956mark@boyersyndicate.com
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