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Aerosonde® Unmanned Aircraft System to Support U.S. Air Force Academy Mission

Dépèche transmise le 2 mars 2011 par Business Wire

Aerosonde® Unmanned Aircraft System to Support U.S. Air Force Academy Mission

HUNT VALLEY, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it has been awarded a fee-for-service contract from BOSH Global Services to provide an Aerosonde unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for use by the U.S. Air Force Academy. The contract includes an Aerosonde Mark 4.7 system; support personnel to launch, fly and recover the aircraft; and computer-based training and simulation software for Cadets to utilize in their training. The academy also will gain use of AAI's On-the-Move Command and Control (OMCC) capability, which allows the aircraft to be controlled by personnel in a moving command and control station. The contract is for a one year period with an option to extend for one additional year.

“The academy will be able to draw upon the considerable assets of this AAI system as they train a core group of future U.S. Air Force leaders.”

“The fee-for-service arrangement provides the academy with a flexible, cost-effective, comprehensive system to train Cadets in the planning and executing UAS missions," says Stephen Flach, division vice president of AAI’s Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. "The academy will be able to draw upon the considerable assets of this AAI system as they train a core group of future U.S. Air Force leaders.”

First unveiled in March 2009, the Aerosonde Mark 4.7 is part of AAI's modular fleet of small unmanned aircraft systems, and was jointly developed and produced by personnel at both AAI's Hunt Valley, Md., headquarters and Aerosonde Pty Ltd, the company's small unmanned aircraft systems business unit in Melbourne, Australia.

A standard-bearer in unmanned innovation for the last several decades, AAI has spent more than 25 years designing, producing, fielding and sustaining UAS for use in a wide variety of military, scientific and civilian applications. The company's contractor-owned, contractor-operated fee-for-service business was launched in an effort to meet our clients' UAS needs in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while providing them with experienced, highly skilled operators and maintainers under a variety of operating conditions.

BOSH Global Services is an SBA-certified 8(a), veteran-owned company offering turnkey technical and operational support services. BOSH supports mission-critical unmanned systems, first responder communications networks, video distribution technology, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. More information is available at www.boshgs.com.

About AAI

AAI Corporation and its indirect wholly owned subsidiaries Aerosonde Pty Ltd and ESL Defence Limited design, produce and support industry-leading aerospace and defense products and services, including unmanned aircraft and ground control technologies; high-fidelity training and simulation systems; automated aerospace test and maintenance equipment; armament systems; and logistical, engineering, supply chain and operational support services. AAI Corporation is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. More information is available at www.aaicorp.com.

About Textron Systems

Textron Systems Corporation has been providing innovative solutions to the defense, homeland security and aerospace communities for more than 50 years. Known for its unmanned aircraft systems, advanced marine craft, armored vehicles, intelligent battlefield and surveillance systems, intelligence software solutions, precision smart weapons, piston engines, test and training systems, and total life cycle sustainment services, Textron Systems includes AAI Corporation, Lycoming Engines, Overwatch, Textron Defense Systems and Textron Marine & Land Systems. Textron Systems Corporation is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. More information is available at www.textronsystems.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

AAI and design is a registered trademark of AAI Corporation.
Aerosonde is a registered trademark of Aerosonde Pty Ltd.