AeroVironment Awarded $10.7M Puma 3 AE Contract for United States Navy, Marine Corps

AeroVironment has won $10.7 million to provide Puma 3 AE systems and spares for the US Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) Program. Delivery is anticipated by April 2020.

"AeroVironment, Inc., a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced its receipt of a $10.7 million firm-fixed-price contract award for Puma 3 AE systems and spares on February 18, 2020 for the US Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) Program. Delivery is anticipated by April 2020," the company said in a statement on April 7.

“Puma 3 AE is a combat-proven enabler of US Navy and Marine Corps tactical operations, providing persistent situational awareness, expeditionary reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, force protection and overwatch – anywhere and at any time,” Rick Pedigo, AeroVironment vice president of business development, claims.

The AeroVironment Puma 3 AE is a fully man-portable unmanned aircraft system designed for land and maritime operations. The hand-launched Puma 3 AE has a wingspan of 9.2 feet (2.8 meters), weighs 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) and can operate for up to 2.5 hours at a range of up to 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) with a standard antenna, and up to 37.2 miles (60 kilometers) with AeroVironment’s Long-Range Tracking Antenna (LRTA). Capable of landing in water or on land, the all-environment Puma, with its Mantis i45 EO/IR sensor suite, empowers the operator with extended flight time and a level of imaging capability never before available in the small UAS class.