Textron Systems Selected By U.S. Army For FTUAS Program Option 2
Leverages Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 HQ System’s Payload Integration Capabilities
Hunt Valley, Md, OCTOBER 17, 2023 – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today that it was selected by the U.S. Army for the Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft System (FTUAS) Program of Record Option 2 award. By completing the FTUAS program Option 1 requirements successfully, Textron Systems now moves forward into Option 2 of the contract. During Option 2, Textron Systems will refine its proposed design based on the Army’s Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) requirements, concluding with a critical design review. Textron Systems’ offering for the program is its Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS).
With over 35 separate payload integrations and ability to carry multiple payloads simultaneously, the Aerosonde HQ has proven its interoperability and operational agility. Built for the Army’s Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), the Aerosonde Mk. 4.8 HQ’s multi-payload capability gives these groups at the tactical edge greater flexibility in equipping the sensors needed for the environment and the mission. Textron Systems’ continued investment in integrating and demonstrating payloads provides a low-risk solution to meet the Army’s needs.
“With 30+ years of UAS experience accumulated over three million flight hours, we have established a mature, reliable and ready ecosystem to support our Army customer,” said Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Air Systems. “We’ve designed our system to be adaptable so that as technology evolves, the Aerosonde UAS is able to support our soldiers not only in the near term but in the future as well.”
The Aerosonde HQ platform offers multi-mission capability built upon a family of systems which have amassed over 600,000 flight hours. The aircraft’s size, weight and power (SWAP) profile are optimized to deliver wide area surveillance, day/night full-motion video, communications relay, signals intelligence and more.
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ABOUT TEXTRON SYSTEMS
Textron Systems is a world leader in uncrewed air, surface and land products, services and support founded on the combined expertise in our family of brands that includes Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, Lycoming, and ATAC. We harness the unlimited power of teamwork to solve incredible problems across seven specialized domains: air, land, sea, propulsion, weapon systems, electronic systems and test, training & simulation. From product development and manufacturing to training, operations and support, we integrate and offer ingenious and advanced solutions to support defense, aerospace, and other customer missions. 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, the risk that Textron System’s offering for the FTUAS program will not be chosen for contract awards by the U.S. Army; the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses or delays in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; changing priorities or reductions in the U.S. Government defense budget, including those related to military operations in foreign countries; changes in worldwide economic or political conditions that impact demand for our products, interest rates or foreign exchange rates; our ability to perform as anticipated and to control costs under contracts with the U.S. Government; and the U.S. Government’s ability to unilaterally modify or terminate its contracts with us for the U.S. Government’s convenience or for our failure to perform, to change applicable procurement and accounting policies, or, under certain circumstances, to withhold payment or suspend or debar us as a contractor eligible to receive future contract awards.
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