AAI-Built
Shadow® Tactical
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Surpass 100,000-hour Flight Milestone While
Supporting U.S. Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom
HUNT
VALLEY, Maryland, June 20, 2006
United Industrial Corporation (NYSE:
UIC) announced today that its AAI Corporation subsidiary has
received an order from the U.S. Army for production of 266 additional
One System remote video terminals (OSRVTs).
In addition to calling for an added number of OSRVT
production units this year, the fully funded $14.1 million contract
provides the balance of funds for an initial 51 units ordered in 2006.
Deliveries have begun and will continue through October 2007. As part of
this order, AAI will provide 147 extended-range mobile directional
antenna systems, spares, training, and contractor logistics support.
The contract has options for an additional 779 OSRVT
production units and 199 mobile directional antenna systems with a total
potential contract value of more than $60 million.
OSRVTs are small, mobile, intelligence-gathering systems
capable of directly receiving and integrating live video and telemetry
data from an array of manned and unmanned aircraft systems, including
Shadow®,
Predator®,
I-GNAT®, Raven, Pioneer®,
Hunter, and the Army’s new Extended Range/Multi-Purpose system.
With OSRVT, soldiers are able to simultaneously receive live
video and position data integrated on hand-held video terminals. A video
“footprint” and icons identify aggressor units, vehicles, facilities,
and natural landscape features that are overlaid on a geo-location map,
enabling swift target identification, decision making, and response.
Extended-range antennas allow OSRVT systems to meet mission range
requirements with reception up to 80 kilometers.
“Working closely with the Army and combat soldiers to
determine warfighter requirements, we’ve developed a product that
provides superior situational awareness and increased interoperability
among multiple manned and unmanned platforms,” said Steven E. Reid, vice
president of AAI’s unmanned aircraft systems division.
“Through OSRVT, we’ve
graduated unmanned aircraft
systems from a role as observers to an advanced stage where their
intelligence-gathering and delivery capabilities have a direct role in
the fight — a weapon system component directly in the hands of
soldiers,” Reid added.
AAI has
been a global leader in tactical unmanned aircraft system
intelligence-gathering technologies over the past three decades. The
company’s Shadow system is the U.S. Army’s premier tactical unmanned
aircraft system and is currently deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Operation Enduring Freedom, and elsewhere.
United Industrial Corporation
designs, produces, and supports aerospace and defense systems through
its wholly owned subsidiary, AAI Corporation, and AAI Corporation’s
direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, AAI Services Corporation,
Aerosonde Pty Ltd, Aerosonde North America Incorporated, ESL Defence
Limited, McTurbine Inc., and Symtx, Inc. Its high-technology products
and services include unmanned aircraft systems, training and simulation
systems, automated aerospace test and maintenance equipment, armament
systems, aviation ground support equipment, logistical and engineering
services, and maintenance, repair and overhaul activities.
For more
information, visit www.unitedindustrial.com and
www.aaicorp.com.
A product sheet with further details on the
OSRVT
program can be accessed here.
Except
for the historical information contained herein, information set forth
in this news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words
such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes,
estimates, and variations of such words and similar expressions that
indicate future events and trends are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to,
projections of revenues, earnings, segment performance, cash flows, and
contract awards. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties, which could cause the companys actual results or
performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such
statements. The company makes no commitment to update any
forward-looking statement or to disclose any facts, events, or
circumstances after the date hereof that may affect the accuracy of any
forward-looking statement. For additional information about the company
and its various risk factors, please see the companys most recent
annual report on Form 10-K and other documents as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.