The US Army has ordered 100 extended wing kits from AAI Corporation for its Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft systems.

The new extended wing increases the shadow aircraft’s wingspan from 14ft to 20ft, increasing the aircraft’s fuel cell and its endurance capacity from six to around nine hours.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

In addition, the redesigned wing significantly increases the aircraft’s mission flexibility during combat operations and will allow the aircraft to collect and distribute electro-optical and infrared full-motion video and metadata as well as carry additional payloads.

The Shadow aircraft fleet update programme being carried out by AAI will install additional enhancements to the aircraft including the new laser designator payload and a new electronic fuel injection engine and fuel system, which will increase the system’s reliability.

Deliveries of extended wing kits have begun under the fleet update programme, which originally began in early February.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Army Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Army Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact across the defence sector.

Excellence in Action
SignalGeneriX has won the Autonomous Technology Innovation Award for its LOTUS AI Mission Computer -a compact, rugged edge AI platform delivering up to 100 TOPS for ISR, EW, robotics and autonomous systems. Discover how LOTUS is redefining real-time decision-making and autonomy across demanding defence missions.

Discover the Impact