BINGEN, Wash – April 3, 2023 – Insitu, A Boeing Company,

today announced its Integrator Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) at Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exhibition in National Harbor, Maryland.

Integrator VTOL launches vertically on ships or land without sacrificing payload capacity or endurance. The system retains the performance of fixed-wing aircraft, providing the same long range wide-area surveillance capability for extended periods.

Integrator VTOL is uniquely designed to operate as a portable system in tight quarters, such as ship decks, and in challenging maritime conditions with high seas and gusty winds. No stationary launch and recovery equipment is required – providing expeditionary (ship-to-ship, ship-to-land) portability and modularity across both UAS hardware and payloads while minimizing impact to other flight operations.

With greater than 16 hours of endurance carrying 40 lbs. of best-in-class, modular payloads, the unique design offers three-times improvement in range and endurance over hybrid-VTOLs. It also has a significant improvement over tail-sitters in its ability to fly on and off ships in rough seas where ship roll and motion present major issues for tall and narrow base tail-sitter UAS.

“Integrator VTOL is a no-compromise uncrewed aircraft system,” said Diane Rose, Insitu president and CEO. “Customers can finally have it all: vertical launch and recovery with industry-leading payload capacity and endurance for their most critical missions, even in the most extreme maritime environments and sea states, without sacrificing valuable transport, deck, or hangar space.”

The system has two parts: FLARES (Flying Launch and Recovery System) developed by Hood Tech, and the Insitu Integrator air vehicle. Requiring no modifications to the aircraft, FLARES performs normal operations at half throttle, allowing significant control authority to withstand gusts, lower density air and higher ship deck motion.

To deploy, FLARES engages Integrator and climbs into the sky. Once it reaches its desired altitude, FLARES dashes forward before releasing Integrator, allowing Integrator to perform its long range, wide-area surveillance mission for extended durations. Once Integrator is released, FLARES returns to a ship’s deck or land to await Integrator’s return.

As Integrator approaches at the end of its mission, FLARES again climbs into the sky with a recovery rope attached and performs Insitu’s well-proven maritime retrieval method. FLARES then lowers Integrator to the ship’s deck or the landing area to complete the mission.

About Insitu

With offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, Insitu creates and supports uncrewed systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and managing sensor data. To date, our systems have accumulated more than 1.3 million flight hours.

Contact

Pat Host, Insitu Communications Specialist
patrick.host@insitu.com | 202-856-4396

BINGEN, Wash – March 30, 2023 – Insitu, A Boeing Company, recently set a company record for the longest duration flight with a 25.5-hour sortie with its Integrator Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) on an operational mission.  

The record flight was achieved with a 150-pound Integrator equipped for a multi-payload mission. It surpassed the previous record of 24.2 hours performed in 2014, also with an Integrator. 

The customer requested persistent eyes on target for an extended period.  The Integrator’s configuration, with its long endurance capability, allowed the customer to use one aircraft instead of two or more lower endurance aircraft. 

UAS with lower endurance require transitioning among multiple aircraft to maintain persistent eyes on a target.  The Integrator allows customers to assure sustained eyes on target with less risk to the mission.

Long endurance aircraft reduce risk with fewer launch and recovery sequences, where UAS are most vulnerable to damage. They also provide better coverage in areas with sparse basing and allow customers to operate with less equipment and manpower than aircraft with lower endurance. 

“Our Integrator provides customers benefits they can’t get with other uncrewed aircraft,” said Diane Rose, Insitu president and CEO. “Customers can focus on the mission and have confidence to achieve their critical goals more affordably and reliably with our field-proven uncrewed aircraft.”  

Insitu’s long endurance Integrator provides benefits to customers in many ways, such as an unbroken chain of imagery intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), to ensure customers continually track a target of interest. It also provides pattern of life, allowing customers to review video footage to identify valued targets. 

Insitu’s full suite of modular payloads provides persistent ISR in the world’s most extreme environments. Our payloads, ranging from day and night full motion video (FMV) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) to electronic warfare (EW), extend the capabilities of UAS to meet the specific and evolving needs of our customers through flexibility and easy integration. 

About Insitu

With offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, Insitu creates and supports uncrewed systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and managing sensor data. To date, our systems have accumulated more than 1.3 million flight hours.

Contact

Pat Host, Insitu Communications Specialist
patrick.host@insitu.com | 202-856-4396

BINGEN, Wash – December 8, 2022 – Boeing; [NYSE: BA] Insitu, a Boeing Company; and Courtney Aviation successfully demonstrated wireless technologies on a manned aircraft that can extend vital communications to wildfire fighters and bring previously unattainable video and data to first responders on the front lines.

The flight tests, conducted in an area of Northern California affected by wildfires, involved a Courtney Aviation aircraft equipped with a 4G eNodeB receiver/transmitter. The Turbine Commander aircraft, using a flight path design and antenna range calculation provided by Insitu, flew for four hours at four different altitudes over mountainous terrain.

“Insitu is exploring 4G and 5G technology applications. Aerial 4G LTE connectivity is a starting point,” said Tom Bleier, Insitu business development representative. “Providing cellular coverage to dispersed users enhances the safety and efficiency of firefighting and other first responder efforts while reducing the impact to the environment and risk to people and property. We believe this same commercial off-the-shelf technology could benefit our defense customers.”

The engineering team transmitted voice, text, video chat and other data to and from ground-based cellular users via the aircraft-based cellular node. The successful test provides a baseline for further development of a capability to help first responders ensure they have the mission-critical communications capabilities they need when responding to wildfires and severe weather events.      

Boeing autonomous test  teams provided radio frequency and data network design, modeling and simulation. Boeing continues to make investments in the full spectrum of autonomy and artificial intelligence. Adding capability to unmanned aircraft will be a force multiplier for customers in the future. 

Networking equipment, microwave downlink and cellular eNodeB installed. Photo: Insitu

Courtney Aviation provided a mobile microwave-enabled data communications van used in supporting wildfire response.

“Working with Insitu allows us to fly a cellular site that becomes an important part of suppressing wildfires while increasing the safety of emergency responders,” said Hart Drobish, Courtney Aviation president.

Reliable wide-area datacoms disseminate real-time fire intelligence, increasing shared situational awareness (SSA) for frontline emergency personnel. SSA provides fighters with more than the big picture view from above and real-time fire maps. It enables intuitive shared understanding and coordination between air and ground resources at a new level. The technologies tested could be applicable to Insitu’s unmanned aircraft systems in the future, offering advanced cellular connectivity solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense. The demo lays the groundwork for future wireless networking technologies, including those in the 5G spectrum.

About Insitu

With offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, Insitu creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and managing sensor data. To date, our systems have accumulated more than 1.3 million flight hours.

About Courtney Aviation

Courtney Aviation operates in service of various natural resource management agencies. The company has focused on growth in the fire and technology market as the fire suppression industry continues with an ever-increasing demand. Courtney has been leading the fire intelligence industry for the past decade. The company utilizes various imaging sensors and data downlink modalities to bring real-time fire intelligence to key decision makers for enhanced situational awareness and decision-making.

Contact

Pat Host, Insitu Communications Specialist
patrick.host@insitu.com | 202-856-4396

Manned/Unmanned teaming made safer with Naval Aviation’s new avoidance tech

Aug 8, 2022 – NAVAIR News

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION, Patuxent River, Md. – A first-of-its-kind detect and avoidance system called Guardian successfully proved it will make defense aviation’s manned/unmanned teaming safer during its first flight test at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) headquarters, July 28.

“Guardian is a technology that will safely enable manned/unmanned teaming,” said Kris Melton, NAWCAD’s Guardian project lead. “We’re starting at DOD test ranges, but every squadron or ship could integrate this system seamlessly for a safer air wing at sea or ashore.”

Guardian tracks manned and unmanned systems across an airspace within a 200 nautical mile radius. The system improves airspace safety using ground-based sensors to communicate with air vehicle operators in ground control stations to provide visual cues for navigation and traffic avoidance maneuvers like turn, ascend, or descend in instances where collisions are imminent – all on a computer screen, similar to GPS in a car.

“Our single priority is getting Guardian ready for the future of Naval and Marine Corps unmanned aviation,” said Melton. “We’re training our test pilots and fine-tuning the tech during this demo to prepare for the new carrier based unmanned air system, MQ-25’s, arrival to Pax but Stingray is just the beginning.”

During the test, air vehicle operators from Unmanned Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (UX) 24 flew two RQ-21 Blackjacks toward each other while Guardian operators monitored screens that displayed the systems’ approach as part of the test plan. Guardian alerted its operator of an imminent collision once the two systems came within 400 feet of each other and made avoidance maneuver suggestions helping operators successfully avoid the simulated collision.

“The first flight showed Guardian delivers on its promise improving airspace situational awareness and safety,” said Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dulude, the Blackjack air vehicle operator supporting Guardian’s first flight. “Looking ahead, we’ll put Guardian through complex tests to confirm it will reliably handle congestion in the busiest airspaces as we work toward FAA certification which could significantly reduce Stingray’s developmental test time and costs.”

NAWCAD engineers prototyped Guardian in response to mandates set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) limiting unmanned systems from operating in airspaces alongside manned aircraft. The restrictions make flight operations increasingly difficult to schedule as unmanned aviation becomes a larger part the Navy’s portfolio. For example, only a single unmanned vehicle can operate over NAWCAD’s airspace, the Atlantic Test Ranges, at any given time making flight operations a challenge to manage across Pax River’s six squadrons testing every aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Guardian is the only ground based detect and avoidance system developed to meet the FAA’s performance standards for unmanned systems. The test team expects Naval Air Systems Command certification by end of fiscal year 2023.

Guardian was initially developed for defense test ranges in partnership with the Army’s Redstone Test Center, and has early interest from the Air Force. The system is funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center and the MQ-25 Stingray’s program at this time. The test team is targeting technology adoption by the MQ-8 Fire Scout, MQ-4C Triton, and Small Tactual UAS programs for the future.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is the Navy’s largest warfare center, employing more than 17,000 military, civilian and contract personnel. It operates test ranges, laboratories and aircraft in support of test, evaluation, research, development and sustainment of everything flown by the Navy and Marine Corps. Based in Patuxent River, Maryland, the command also has major sites in St. Inigoes, Maryland, Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Orlando, Florida.

Public Affairs Officer Contact:

(301) 757-5136

Original Article from NAVAIR News

U.S. Navy holds UAS wide-area mission demonstration

Jul 27, 2022 – NAVAIR News

Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.–

The Navy recently completed an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) wide-area mission demonstration to assess capabilities that could benefit the fleet in the future.

The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical UAS program office (PMA-263), Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) AIRWorks, and Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) led the sea-based demonstration July 11-15 aboard USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) in San Diego.

Two vendors, Insitu  Inc. and L3 Harris, showcased multiple technologies designed to operate as a portable system in challenging conditions while providing the same wide-area coverage as a shore-based system.

“This event was a great opportunity to evaluate unmanned capability in a relevant environment, learn how it can support and enhance operations, and get direct feedback from the fleet,” said Col. Victor Argobright, PMA-263 program manager. “A lot of work was done in a short time across the enterprise to make this happen.”

Earlier this year, PMA-263 and AIRWorks teamed up in collaboration with Innovation and Modernization Patuxent River (IMPAX), the NAWCAD partner for experimentation, technology demonstrations, and prototyping, and with NWDC’s Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) team to identify and examine a UAS capable of performing wide-area missions from a Navy surface vessel at long ranges for extended periods while relaying accurate, relevant information back to the host vessel.

The team down selected the vendors to participate in the demonstration based on their ability to provide a system able to operate without additional support systems, deploy without dedicated launch or recovery equipment, and have maximum portability, self-sufficiency, and modularity across UAS hardware and payloads.

“The USS Paul Hamilton team was pleased to be a part of this demonstration,” said Cmdr. Jake Ferrari, the ship’s commanding officer. “To see the energy put behind providing capabilities associated with UAS aboard surface vessels is exciting. I look forward to future efforts that will provide an enduring fleet capability that is integrated into sustained operations.”

The systems demonstrated wide-area surveillance capability across multiple mission sets. The government will review data gathered during the demonstration to further evaluate each system’s performance.

“Both vendors stepped up to the challenge and the crew of the USS Paul Hamilton provided outstanding support and feedback,” said Argobright. “It’s teamwork like this that’s needed to get capability in the hand of sailors as quickly as possible. We will be leveraging this effort and working with Navy leadership on the next steps to make this happen.” 

As part of a multi-phased merit-based selection process, the demonstration may lead to Insitu or L3 Harris being awarded an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype project under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2371b later this year. OTAs are used by the DoD to carry out prototype, research and production projects.

Public Affairs Officer Contact:

240-925-5305

Original Article from NAVAIR News

Brazilian Navy makes first ScanEagle drone launch

Remotely piloted aircraft will be used in reconnaissance, surveillance and search and rescue missions from their ships.

The Brazilian Navy performed the first launch of the ScanEagle aircraft, a surveillance and reconnaissance “drone” provided by Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary.

The unmanned vehicle was received in the country in March and had the first test carried out by the Navy at the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base, in Rio de Janeiro.

To operate the SARP-E (Embedded Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), the Navy created in 2021 the 1st Clarification Remotely Piloted Aircraft Squadron (EsqdQE-1), which is subordinated to the Naval Air Force Command.

The ScanEagle was developed at the beginning of the last decade at the request of the US Marines, which have been using the aircraft since 2004. Light in weight and compact in size, the air vehicle is launched by a catapult and retracted by means of an aerial hook mechanism.

It has a wingspan of 3.1 meters, a length of 1.67 m and a maximum take-off weight of 23.4 kg. The maximum payload is 3.4 kg and the ScanEagle can remain in flight for up to 20 hours and reach an altitude of 19,500 feet (5,943 meters).

The maximum range is 100 km, depending on the type of antenna used and the control center link. The aircraft’s cruising speed is about 110 km/h.

The Navy’s plan is to expand the capabilities of its vessels in reconnaissance, surveillance and search and rescue missions. Initially, the force purchased five systems from the manufacturer.

Read the original article on Air Data News.

Brazilian Navy activates its first Squadron of Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Translated from Portuguese – Original Article Here.

Naval Aviation began the 5th phase of its 106-year history, to be completed on August 23, by activating the 1st Squadron of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (QE-1), on July 5, 2022, being named as the first Commander Frigate Captain Fabio Bernardo Nunes.

The military ceremony took place at the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base and was attended by the Navy Commander, Fleet Admiral Almir Garnier Santos, the Naval Operations Commander, Fleet Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, the General Director of Navy Material, Fleet Admiral José Augusto Vieira da Cunha de Menezes, Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Arthur Fernando Bettega Correa, Naval Air Force Commander, Rear Admiral José Augusto Augusto José da Silva Fonseca Junior, in addition to civil and military authorities and former Commanders of the Naval Air Force.

In his words, AE Garnier highlighted the importance of activating the newest Naval Aviation Military Organization as “Today is a historic day for the Brazilian Navy and the importance is related to the fact that reveals our future” and completed “And so are the unmanned aerial vehicles whose cornerstone the Navy is laying today, the result of an effort made by generations that preceded us”.

AE Garnier highlighted the importance of EsqdQE-1 to develop doctrines, train and qualify the MB to use in the future other types of SARP-E, more capable and necessary, for the protection of the Blue Amazon.

Shortly after the ceremony, a demonstration was held for the Navy Commander, with the launch and recall of the RQ-1 ScanEagle N-8001.

The Navy Commander can also follow, from inside the control module, a demonstration of the capabilities of the RQ-1 ScanEagle, during the demonstration flight in the area close to the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Complex.

Officially activated on July 5, 2022, Harpia was chosen, one of the largest birds of prey in the world, found in Brazil in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest region, to represent the QE-1, which today has 37 military personnel, being ten officers (eight pilots trained at the manufacturer) and 27 enlisted men, all from the different fixed and rotary wing squadrons.

The QE-1 has six Embedded Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (SARP-E), designated RQ-1 ScanEagle with registration numbers N-8001 to N-8006, two launchers (one on-board and one on land) and two recoil systems. The Esquadrão Harpia shares the “ALFA” hangar of Esquadrão HA-1, located at the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base (BAeNSPA).

By the end of this year, the necessary systems will be installed on the Frigate Independência (F 44) and on the Amazon Ocean Patrol Vessel (P 120), with the first embarked operation expected to take place in December 2022.

Read original article on Defesa Area Naval. Portuguese version follows:

Marinha do Brasil ativa seu primeiro Esquadrão de Aeronaves Remotamente Pilotadas

A Aviação Naval iniciou a 5ª fase da sua história de 106 anos, a completar no próximo dia 23 de agosto, ao ativar o 1º Esquadrão de Aeronaves Remotamente Pilotadas (QE-1), no dia 05 de julho de 2022, sendo nomeado como primeiro Comandante o Capitão de Fragata Fabio Bernardo Nunes.

A cerimônia militar ocorreu na Base Aérea Naval de São Pedro da Aldeia e contou com as presenças do Comandante da Marinha, Almirante de Esquadra Almir Garnier Santos, do Comandante de Operações Navais, Almirante de Esquadra Marcos Sampaio Olsen, do Diretor Geral de Material de Marinha, Almirante de Esquadra José Augusto Vieira da Cunha de Menezes, do Comandante em Chefe da Esquadra, Vice-Almirante Arthur Fernando Bettega Correa, do Comandante da Força Aeronaval, Contra Almirante José Augusto Augusto José da Silva Fonseca Junior, além de autoridades civis e militares e ex-Comandantes da Força Aeronaval.

Em suas palavras, o AE Garnier ressaltou a importância da ativação da mais nova Organização Militar da Aviação Naval como “Hoje é um dia histórico para a Marinha do Brasil e a importância está relacionada ao fato que descortina o nosso futuro” e completou “E assim são os veículos aéreos não tripulados cuja a pedra fundamental, a Marinha está colocando hoje, fruto de um esforço despendido pelas gerações que nos antecederam”.

O AE Garnier ressaltou a importância do EsqdQE-1 para desenvolver as doutrinas, capacitar e qualificar a MB a utilizar no futuro outros tipos de SARP-E, mais capazes e necessários, para a proteção da Amazônia Azul.

Logo após a cerimônia, foi realizada uma demonstração para o Comandante da Marinha, com o lançamento e recolhimento do RQ-1 ScanEagle N-8001.

O Comandante da Marinha também pode acompanhar, de dentro do módulo de controle, uma demonstração das capacidades do RQ-1 ScanEagle, durante o voo de demonstração na área próxima ao Complexo Aeronaval de São Pedro da Aldeia.

Oficialmente ativado no dia 05 de julho de 2022, foi escolhida a Harpia, uma das maiores aves de rapina do mundo, encontrada no Brasil na região da Amazônia e Mata Atlântica, para representar o QE-1, que hoje conta com 37 militares, sendo dez oficiais (oito pilotos formados no fabricante) e 27 praças, todos oriundos dos diversos Esquadrões de asa-fixa e rotativa.

O QE-1 possui seis Sistemas de Aeronaves Remotamente Pilotadas Embarcado (SARP-E), designadas RQ-1 ScanEagle com matrículas N-8001 a N-8006, dois lançadores (um embarcado e um terrestre) e dois sistemas de recolhimento. O Esquadrão Harpia compartilha o hangar “ALFA” do Esquadrão HA-1, localizado na Base Aérea Naval de São Pedro da Aldeia (BAeNSPA).

Até o final deste ano, será realizada a instalação dos sistemas necessários na Fragata Independência (F 44) e no Navio Patrulha Oceânico Amazonas (P 120), com previsão da primeira operação embarcada ocorrer em dezembro de 2022.

Australian Army commences training on Integrator UAS

Boeing subsidiary Insitu Pacific has announced it has commenced the first pilot’s course for the Australian Army’s new Integrator uncrewed aircraft system (UAS).

Selected in March 2022 for the Army’s Project LAND 129 Phase 3 tactual UAS requirement, the Integrator is a growth development of the smaller ScanEagle UAS which was previously operated by the Army in Afghanistan and Iraq, and which is operated on a trial basis by the Royal Australian Navy’s 822X SQN.

The release says 12 pilot candidates will undertake the nine-week course which comprises classroom lessons and simulator pilot training, and practical Integrator flight training at Insitu Pacific’s flight training and testing airfield at Coominya west of Brisbane.

“Our fully-fledged training capability has been in operation for over 10 years and is geared to deliver proficient, hands-on training to ensure the Army is ready to operate the aircraft system from day one,” managing director of Insitu Pacific, Andrew Duggan said in the release. “It’s fantastic to have Army back in our facility and training on our proven Integrator platform as we mobilise the program with our Australian suppliers to bring Integrator into service.

“Many of our instructors, who are also veterans, have flown Insitu systems in areas of operation over the years and are fully qualified and experienced in delivering technical training, and the contract with Army has also contributed to a recent growth in our training team to meet the increasing demand,” he added.

PMO Director of the Navy and Army Aviation Acquisition Program Office, Andrew McKinnon added, “The commencement of this training is a significant step for the Australian Army’s tactical UAS capability. This training will provide the soldiers of 20 Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, with the technical skills needed to successfully operate Army’s Future Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System.”

The LAND 129 Phase 3 contract awarded to Insitu Pacific includes the conduct of periodical pilot and maintainer courses for a period of five years.

Read original story on ADBR.

NAVFAC Completes Construction Of Royal Thai Navy Facility In 100 Days

Thailand, 23 June 2022 – Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific Resident Officer in Charge of Construction (ROICC) Thailand completed construction of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations Support Facility on June 9 at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand.

The Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) funded construction of this facility, which will support the RQ-21A Blackjack UAS recently handed over by Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas to the Royal Thai Navy on May 24.

“The Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group Thailand (JUSMAGTHAI) requested that NAVFAC deliver this facility as quickly as possible to meet the program training schedule,” said NAVFAC Pacific ROICC Thailand Lt. Cmdr. Rama Mutyala. “This gave us an opportunity to be creative and look for a faster solution.”

ROICC Thailand awarded a 100-day construction contract to a local Thai company to provide a 1,600 square feet two-story facility with a control room, maintenance room, and storage for the launch and retrieval equipment. The prefabricated facility was assembled on site in record time.

The construction completion was marked by a delegation visit, which included Royal Thai Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff General Thitichai Tiantong and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Fleet Admiral Suwin Jangyodsuk, as well as members of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command staff and JUSMAGTHAI. The visit highlighted the breadth and depth of the U.S.-Thai maritime partnership.

This facility and the Royal Thai Navy’s new RQ-21A Blackjacks will enhance Thailand’s maritime security capabilities for search and rescue operations, drug and human trafficking interdiction, and will also advance the interoperability of our navies.

“The fast construction has allowed the Royal Thai Navy’s newest UAS squadron to achieve initial operational capability ahead of schedule,” said JUSMAGTHAI Director of Joint Security Assistance Cmdr. Luke Barlow. “This program would not have succeeded without NAVFAC’s assistance. We hope to replicate the design of this facility for future locations.”

ROICC Thailand is among several locations supported by the NAVFAC Pacific Contingency Engineering Business Line (CEBL). NAVFAC Pacific CEBL operates forward providing acquisition, engineering and construction support throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific with headquarters at Pearl Harbor and offices in Bangkok, Thailand; Manila, Philippines; Darwin, Australia; and forward operating presence in Jakarta, Indonesia and Hanoi, Vietnam.

Read the original NAVFAC article here.

The Australian Army will receive two dozen Integrator UAVs, with 80% of their systems’ content and upkeep to be sourced from Australia.

Work on Integrator tactical UAVs for the Australian Army under Project Land 129 Phase 3 is ‘well under way’ after commencing earlier this year, despite supply chain constraints caused by COVID-19.

Andrew Duggan, MD of Insitu Pacific, told Shephard that a lot of design work needed to be done before the production of 24 aircraft could commence. Delivery is scheduled for 2023-24.

Insitu Pacific had offered the ScanEagle and Integrator family, which share common control systems, but Australia has, so far, opted just for the Integrator.

Read the full article at Shephard…