Textron Systems Corporation has been selected by the U.S. Army for the Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft System (FTUAS) Program of Record Option 2 award — by completing the FTUAS program Option 1 requirements successfully, Textron Systems now moves forward into Option 2 of the contract.
During Option 2, Textron Systems will refine its proposed design based on the Army’s Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) requirements, concluding with a critical design review. Textron Systems’ offering for the program is its Aerosonde® Mk. 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS).
With more than 35 separate payload integrations and ability to carry multiple payloads simultaneously, the Aerosonde HQ has proven its interoperability and operational agility. Built for the Army’s Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), the Aerosonde Mk. 4.8 HQ’s multi-payload capability gives these groups at the tactical edge greater flexibility in equipping the sensors needed for the environment and the mission. Textron Systems’ continued investment in integrating and demonstrating payloads provides a low-risk solution to meet the Army’s needs.
The Aerosonde HQ platform offers multi-mission capability built upon a family of systems which have amassed over 600,000 flight hours. The aircraft’s size, weight and power (SWAP) profile are optimized to deliver wide area surveillance, day/night full-motion video (FMV), communications relay, signals intelligence and more.
“With 30+ years of UAS experience accumulated over three million flight hours, we have established a mature, reliable and ready ecosystem to support our Army customer. We’ve designed our system to be adaptable so that as technology evolves, the Aerosonde UAS is able to support our soldiers not only in the near term but in the future as well.” — Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Air Systems