In the United States, the Army has recently awarded contracts to AeroVironment and Edge Autonomy for the rapid supply of the first long-range reconnaissance (LRR) systems P550 and Stalker Block 35X.
The AeroVironment P550 and the Edge Autonomy Stalker Block 35X belong to Group 2 of the UAS developed to ensure reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) organic to the Maneuver Battalions.
Capacities projected for Group 2 UAS
The capacities projected for the Group 2 UAS include an open system architecture, which allows for the rapid integration of additional functionalities to meet the mission requirements of ground commanders, primarily at the Battalion level.
The US Army wants to employ such initial LRR systems to establish a formation of operators that remains independent from military occupational skills (MOS), allowing any soldier to use the platforms, and will begin to field them in operational units by the end of the year as part of the Transformation in Contact 2.0 initiative.
The US Army’s LRR program directly supports the Secretary of Defense’s July memorandum on ‘Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance’, demonstrating the Armed Force’s commitment to promoting drone technology and operational effectiveness.
The Army plans to make further LRR system selections in the near future.
Source: US Army
Photo credit: @Aerovironment – Michelle Miller
