The Australian Army is to acquire Shadow 200 unmanned aerial vehicles from the US as part of the foreign military sales (FMS) JP 129 contract.

Under the estimated A$175m (US$164m) FMS, Australia will receive air vehicles, remote viewing terminals, ground control station elements and a training package for the first 110 Australian personnel to be inducted on the system.

The contract also covers a three-year engineering modification support contract that includes the integration of the tactical common data link and extended wing.

The delivery of the first system will take place six months after contract signature and the army plans to deploy the system by late 2011, according to the Shepard.