AeroVironment has won a contract to deliver its Puma 3 All Environment (AE) and Wasp AE small uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) to an undisclosed US allied nation.
The contract also includes the provision of initial spares packages, training, and support.
The systems are being procured via the US Department of Defense (DoD) foreign military sales (FMS) programme. The contract is valued at $4.1m.
The FMS programme aims to promote interoperability among US and allied nations for joint operations.
Manufactured by AeroVironment, the Puma 4 AE UAS can be deployed in land-based and maritime operations.
With a wingspan of 9.2ft, the hand-launched Puma 3 AE weighs 15lbs and has a usage time of up to 2.5 hours.
AeroVironment vice-president and small UAS product line general manager Trace Stevenson said: “Allied forces around the world continue to adopt and deploy AeroVironment’s battle-proven small, unmanned aircraft systems in order to increase the mission effectiveness and safety of their frontline forces.”
Weighing just over a kilogram, the Wasp AE is a lightweight, ‘man-packable UAS’.
It is capable of performing stealthy manoeuvres and providing high-quality imagery and encrypted video, features that are uncommon for a UAS of its size.
Both the Puma 3 AE and Wasp AE UAS can be deployed in land-based and maritime operations to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
In March, AeroVironment won a contract to deliver its Puma AE tactical UAS to an undisclosed European country.
