Textron Systems Selected for Continued U.S. Navy Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations
Aerosonde® UAS Supports Multi-Payload Missions with Minimal Shipboard Footprint and Logistics
HUNT VALLEY, MD/June 2, 2022 – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today that it has been awarded a contract valued up to $18.3 million including all options by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide continued UAS operations support for the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, designated ESB-4. The one-year base contract includes two 12-month options and two six-month options, for a total potential performance period of four years. The company was originally selected to support the ESB-4 in 2018.
Under this contract, Textron Systems will continue to deploy its Aerosonde UAS to provide maritime operations aboard the ESB-4. The company’s personnel work alongside sailors to provide on-demand Aerosonde UAS operations to support a variety of maritime missions. Textron Systems’ Aerosonde UAS provides multi-payload performance in a single sortie, while requiring a minimal shipboard footprint and onboard logistics. Serving multiple U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) customers with contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) UAS services alongside military users, the Aerosonde system has amassed more than 550,000 flight hours with superior availability in some of the world’s most austere and challenging environments. The company’s continuous improvement approach has allowed end users to implement new features, payloads and enhancements as needed to support the mission, while maintaining the highest levels of reliability.
“Our shipboard customers need UAS solutions that can deliver actionable data from multiple mission payloads without sacrificing valuable space on deck,” said Senior Vice President, Air Systems, Wayne Prender. “It’s equally important that we create a strong support ecosystem to keep availability and reliability rates high as operational tempo demands. In continuing to support our ESB-4 customer, we maintain our focus on setting the bar higher and higher in all these areas to keep our sailors informed and out of harm’s way.”
Textron Systems’ UAS operators also support U.S. Navy DDG-class warships with the Aerosonde UAS, as well as multiple DoD and international customers with land-based COCO activities.
NAVAIR Public Release 2022-359. Distribution Statement A - "Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited"
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About Textron Systems
Textron Systems is a world leader in unmanned air, surface and land products, services and support for aerospace and defense customers. Harnessing agility and a broad base of expertise, Textron Systems’ innovative businesses design, manufacture, field and support comprehensive solutions that expand customer capabilities and deliver value. For more information, visit 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, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks related to US Government contracts as set forth in our SEC filings.
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