Sunday, December 6, 2015

ANDSF to Get ScanEagle UAS

ScanEagle UAV
The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) will receive eight ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The drones will be supplied by Insitu through a $70.9 million contract. Insitu will provide the eight systems which will include 65 air vehicles, some spares, support equipment and a ground training facility in Afghanistan. The ScanEagle carries either an electro-optical or an infrared camera in a gyro-stabilized turret. The camera has full pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities and allows the operator to track both stationary and moving targets. This is in the smaller class of UAVs - only 4 feet long and 10 feet wide (wing span). It can loiter above a battlefield for as long as 24 hours.

The sale was awarded under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Insitu, Inc. is a subsidiary of Boeing Aircraft. Work is expected to be completed in June 2018. Ummm, considering the present security situation on the ground I would have to say that is a long way off. Perhaps we should have considered fielding a small UAV (like the Shadow?) for the Afghans back in . .  say . . . 2005, . . . or 2010, . . . or 2013. They would have them right now. Hopefully some smart guy at Resolute Support HQs has figured out how to train the Afghan operators and maintenance personnel prior to the systems being fielded (Don't count on it!). Read "Insitu wins $70.9M ScanEagle order", C4ISR & Networks, December 1, 2015.

Learn more about the ScanEagle UAS at the following link:
www.afghanwarnews.info/equipment/scaneagle.htm

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