IAI Partners with SNC in Tactical UAS for US Government Market
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עברית (Hebrew)
As the increased use of unmanned aircraft continues to enhance the operational flexibility, safety and effectiveness of U.S. military air operations, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to support development of a new tactical Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) able to take off and land vertically for the U.S. market.
The companies see great potential in this collaboration for special mission applications in the American tactical UAS market over the next decade.
The VTOL UAS will give forward-positioned units the ability to deploy expeditionary wide-area UAS Intelligence, Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) assets in austere environments without needing access to a runway, while providing increased safety and reduced risk throughout the range of operations and mission locations.
This agreement builds on a five-year relationship between the two companies, combining SNC’s experience developing and testing customizable UAS in various launch conditions and environments with IAI’s vast expertise and capabilities to create an innovative VTOL solution for the tactical UAS market.
SNC‘s experience executing large-scale system integration programs for the U.S. Government and its leading in-house engineering capabilities, along with IAI’s world-renowned unmanned systems will result in a product that will be manufactured, operated and maintained in the United States, according to the companies’ announcement.
As the prime contractor, SNC will be responsible for the overall system integration and leading the U.S. marketing effort in support of direct sales and long-term lease opportunities. Shaul Shahar, Executive Vice President & General Manager of IAI’s Military Aircraft Group. “I am confident that SNC’s leading engineering expertise and strong U.S. foothold combined with IAI’s experience and leadership with unmanned systems, including VTOL, will create a high-quality American system to meet the market’s growing needs.”
Tim Owings, Executive Vice President of SNC’s Integrated Mission Systems business area. “We are pleased to have IAI’s strong past performance and exciting new products like VTOL UAS as the foundation of this mutually beneficial relationship between the two companies.”
