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NATO Enhances Its Unmanned Fleet

Apr 9, 2021

Puma, Photo illust. US Army By Wikimedia — U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dylan Ferguson, a brigade aviation element officer with the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, launches a Puma unmanned aerial vehicle June 25, 2012, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Ferguson uses the Puma for reconnaissance for troops on the ground.

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The Puma AE unmanned aircraft system enables frontline forces to gather real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in any operational environment. AeroVironment has recently received four firm-fixed-price orders totaling $11,527,074 from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for Puma 3 AE tactical UAS and initial spares packages.

Puma 3 AE unmanned aircraft system is designed for land and maritime operations. The hand-launched Puma 3 AE has a wingspan of 9.2 feet, weighs 15 pounds and can operate for up to 2.5 hours. The aircraft also has a range of 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) with a standard antenna, and up to 37.2 miles (60 kilometers) with AeroVironment’s Long-Range Tracking Antenna (LRTA).

Capable of landing in water or on land, the all-environment Puma 3 AE and Mantis i45 EO/IR sensor suite empower operators with extended flight time and a level of imaging capability never before available in the tactical UAS class, according to the company’s website.

The orders are part of a three-year base contract received from NSPA in January 2020. The contract includes an option for two additional years of logistics support for Raven, Wasp and Puma tactical UAS. The total potential value of the multi-year contract is $80 million, encompassing the procurement and sustainment of AeroVironment tactical UAS employed by the defense forces of several NATO countries.

Delivery is anticipated by June 2021.