AeroVironment, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Army has ordered additional RQ-11B (Raven) small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and associated services by the exercise of an option under an existing contract. Typically each Raven system comprises three aircraft, a ground control station, system spares, and related services. The total award value is $45.8 million and is fully funded.

The option was submitted under the existing U.S. Army joint small UAS program of record for AV's Raven and will provide systems for the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. This program allows for contract additions from the Army, Special Operations Command and other U.S. military services. The items provided under this one-year option on the multiyear contract are scheduled to be delivered within one year of the contract award date.

AV's Raven is a 4.2-pound, backpack, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for "over the hill" and "around the corner" reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. U.S. armed forces use Ravens extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection. According to the U.S. Army, Ravens have flown approximately 150,000 combat hours in 2007. In addition to the Raven, AV's small UAS include the Puma and the Wasp that are also hand-launched and controlled by AV's handheld, common ground control station. AV's UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AV has delivered more than 8000 small unmanned aircraft to date.

The company's small UAS are used extensively by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and by allied military services to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

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