BAE SYSTEMS Australia And U.S. UAV Leader AAI Corporation Form Team Shadow To Compete For Australian JP 129 Surveillance Program
20 Oct 2003
BAE Systems Australia and AAI Corporation (USA) today announced an agreement to compete as Team Shadow for the Commonwealth of Australia JP 129 program.
The Team Shadow JP 129 solution is based on the Shadow 200 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) system designed by AAI Corporation and currently providing crucial surveillance and reconnaissance support to U.S. Army forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
BAE Systems Australia brings technologies and products in ground and mission systems to meet Australian Defence Force (ADF) operational requirements.
JP 129 seeks to enhance ADF aerial surveillance capabilities for land operations and selected maritime operations through the acquisition of UAVs tailored for focal area surveillance.
Team Shadow will provide the ADF with a substantial, deployable, TUAV capability that is interoperable with our major ally, the United States. Access to support from the BAE Systems Australia/AAI Corporation team will ensure the systems effectiveness in meeting the ADFs TUAV requirements and will establish the team as a principal player in the Network Centric Warfare arena in Australia, said Jim McDowell, chief executive officer BAE Systems Australia.
Building on our long pedigree in UAV systems here in Australia and drawing on the capabilities of our global company, we will extend the Shadow system to meet the current and future needs of the ADF, said McDowell.
The Shadow 200 is a rugged, state-of-the-art tactical UAV system that has proven its value in operations with the U.S. Army in Iraq where it has supported warfighters in more than 500 combat missions while logging more than 2,000 flight hours, said Jim Christner, director of international operations for AAIs Defense Systems unit.
Shadow tactical UAV systems are in service with U.S. and allied military forces worldwide, Christner added, and we look forward to linking Shadow 200 operational intelligence-gathering capabilities with BAE Systems Australia ground and mission systems technologies as the Team Shadow solution for the Australian Army, Christner added.
The U.S. Army chose AAIs Shadow 200 as its tactical UAV system in 1999 after an extensive competition. In 2002, the Shadow TUAV program was approved for full-rate production the first time any U.S. military UAV program has achieved that accomplishment following a series of successful operational tests and evaluations.
About BAE SYSTEMS:
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. It is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.
BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company has 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately 12 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.
In Australia the company employs 2,500 people, supports customers at more than 50 locations across the country and has its centre of operations in Adelaide. BAE Systems Australia is a leader in engineering and systems integration and is a major supplier of support services, electronics and software. The company is involved and investing in the development of autonomous technologies, NCW enabling technologies and other technologies that underpin UAV Systems development and operation.
About AAI Corporation:
AAI Corporation is a company focused on the design and production of defense systems for U.S. and international customers. Its products and services include unmanned aerial vehicles, test and simulation systems, automated aircraft test and maintenance equipment, and logistical/engineering services.
Innovative technologies from AAI Corporation developed for support of other Australian defense programs include On-Board Trainers (OBTs) for train like you fight simulation/stimulation exercises aboard Royal Australian Navy frigates, Joint Service Electronic Combat Systems Tester (JSECST) technologies for testing and fault-isolating combat and avionics components aboard Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 fighter aircraft, and Advanced Moving Target Simulator (AMTS) systems for training Australian Army personnel in RBS 70 Very Low Level Air Defence Weapon Systems.
Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, AAI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation (NYSE: UIC). Robyn Thomson, BAE Systems Australia Tel: +61 (2) 6229 1600 Mobile: +61 (0) 416 187 184 Susan Flowers, AAI Corporation (USA) Tel: +1 410 628 8710 comm@aaicorp.com
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