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Hunt Valley, Maryland — August 10, 2009 — AAI
Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron
Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it has received a more than $32 million award from the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for engineering and manufacturing activities to enhance the Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (TUAS) with the tactical common data link (TCDL).
The TCDL is a Ku-band digital data link that delivers wide-bandwidth communications using common data link, or CDL, waveform standards. It is being integrated using a NATO standardization agreement (STANAG) 4586-compliant architecture that enables interoperability with the latest NATO and U.S. Army standards.
The enhanced system will be designed to provide Shadow TUAS users a common interface with other military systems that incorporate TCDL and these interoperability standards, including the Extended-Range, Multi-Purpose Sky Warrior® unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the Hunter UAS, and the Apache helicopter. TCDL can accommodate state-of-the-art digital sensor technology. In addition, its encryption capabilities provide enhanced data security.
“The incredible success our customers have experienced with the Shadow TUAS during more than 420,000 operational hours continually drives us to make the system more multi-mission capable,” says Vice President of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Steven Reid of AAI. “The integration of TCDL provides greater flexibility, data security and interoperability to support mission success. It is exciting to help bring battlefield interoperability across U.S. Army manned and unmanned aviation assets.”
About AAI
AAI Corporation designs, produces, and supports aerospace
and defense systems through its direct and indirect wholly
owned subsidiaries, AAI Services Corporation, Aerosonde Pty
Ltd, ESL Defence Limited, 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,
and logistical, engineering, and supply chain services. AAI
Corporation is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Textron
Inc. More information is available at www.aaicorp.com.
About Textron Systems
Textron Systems Corporation has been providing innovative
solutions to the defense, homeland security and aerospace
communities for over 50 years. Known for its precision smart
weapons, intelligent battlefield systems, surveillance systems,
intelligence software solutions, aircraft control components,
piston engines, armored vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems,
Textron Systems includes AAI, HR Textron, Lycoming Engines,
Overwatch Geospatial Systems, Overwatch Tactical Operations,
Textron Defense Systems, and Textron Marine & Land Systems.
Textron Systems Corporation is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary
of Textron Inc. More information is available at www.textronsystems.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a $14.2 billion multi-industry
company operating in 28 countries with approximately 42,000
employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft,
defense and intelligence, industrial and finance businesses
to provide customers with innovative solutions and services.
Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands
such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen,
Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems and Textron
Financial Corporation. More information is available
at www.textron.com.
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