FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 14, 2005
Historic Flights Earn "Army’s Choice for UAV Ops" Distinction for One System GCS
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) today announced that it has been flying the Warrior Demonstrator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a U.S. Army One System Ground Control Station (GCS). Recent test flights not only mark the first time that the Warrior UAV has been controlled by the Army One System GCS, but also demonstrated two new capabilities of the GCS.
In a collaborative company-funded effort, GA-ASI and AAI Corporation, developer and manufacturer of the One System GCS, integrated the hardware and software required to provide Level IV control of the Warrior UAV. Warrior control was handed off in-the-air to the One System GCS, where full control of the aircraft and EO/IR payload was performed by a Shadow® 200 tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV) operator. The system software implemented the NATO Standard STANAG 4586 Protocol, and communication between the aircraft and ground was conducted via both line-of-sight and Ku-band satellite communications (SATCOM).
"With these historic flights, the One System Ground Control Station can now control the Warrior and Shadow UAVs, making it the Army’s choice for UAV operations," said Thomas J. Cassidy, president and chief executive officer of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. "The successful completion of Warrior flights from the Army One System GCS also represents a significant milestone in meeting the requirements for the Army’s Extended Range Multi-Purpose [ERMP] UAV Program."
The One System GCS and Warrior UAV, a Predator® UAV derivative that marks the beginning of routine flights with a heavy fuel powerplant in a medium-altitude unmanned aircraft, are being offered as a low-risk, high-value solution for the U.S. Army ERMP UAV Program. During the upcoming ERMP Systems Capabilities Demonstration, GA-ASI and its "Team Warrior" partners, AAI and SPARTA, will demonstrate the upgraded Army One System GCS, utilizing the STANAG 4586 Protocol and SATCOM capability, and Warrior, featuring a heavy fuel engine.
About the Companies
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of proven, reliable, unmanned aircraft systems for military and commercial applications worldwide. Established in 1993, the company has expanded the acceptance and application of unmanned aircraft systems with the combat-proven Army I-GNAT®, operational with the U.S. Army; Predator, which has accumulated more than 120,000 flight hours with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force; the turboprop powered Predator B MQ-9 "Hunter-Killer," operational with the U.S. Air Force; and ALTUS® and ALTAIR®, operated in conjunction with NASA for scientific research, atmospheric monitoring, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. GA-ASI has also led the way in providing the war fighter with a weapons delivery capability on Predator and Predator B. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft systems to meet demanding and diverse customer requirements. For more information, please visit www.uav.com.
AAI Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation (UIC), is focused on the design, production and support of defense systems. AAI produces the Army's RQ-7 Shadow tactical unmanned aerial vehicle. Shadow TUAVs have flown more than 20,000 combat hours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition to unmanned aerial vehicle systems, AAI's products include test and simulation systems, automated aircraft test and maintenance equipment, and logistical/engineering services for government-owned equipment. The company is headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. For more information, visit www.aaicorp.com or www.unitedindustrial.com.
Warrior is a trademark and Predator, I-GNAT, ALTUS and ALTAIR are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. One System is a trademark and Shadow is a registered trademark of AAI Corporation.
For more information contact:
Kimberly Kasitz
Public Relations Manager
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1.858.455.2294
kimberly.kasitz@uav.com
Additional information on the Army One System GCS may be obtained by contacting the following:
Sharon Corona
AAI Communications
+1 (410) 628-3184
corona@aaicorp.com