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Press Media Wire (Press Release) - Mar 02,2009 -
(PressMediaWire) SINGAPORE, March 02, 2009 --
ScanEagle, a long-endurance, fully autonomous unmanned aircraft system
(UAS) developed by The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and subsidiary Insitu,
today successfully completed a ship-based trial with the Republic of
Singapore Navy (RSN).
The trial included both an
RSN LST (Landing Ship, Tank) and a frigate. ScanEagle was launched and
recovered from the ships' helicopter decks, flying day missions using
an electro-optical camera payload and night missions using an infrared
camera payload.
During the flights, the ScanEagle
UAS successfully demonstrated sea-based launch and recovery
capabilities and the ease with which the physical ground support
equipment and control hardware can be integrated onboard. All tactical
objectives and operational scenarios set for the flights were achieved.
"ScanEagle performed exceptionally well during the
trials and proved it has the potential to be an asset for building the
RSN's organic ship-based unmanned aerial vehicle capability," said
Andrew Duggan, ScanEagle program manager for Boeing Defence Australia.
"The ScanEagle UAS adds another dimension to persistent situational
awareness for the ship's crew and generates actionable intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance information."
Boeing
Defence Australia provided a complete maritime ScanEagle system for the
trial, including a ground control station, communication links,
launcher and SkyHook recovery system. A Boeing Insitu team deployed to
Singapore for the entire trial.
The ScanEagle UAS
has operated from a variety of maritime platforms, most notably U.S.
Navy ships since 2005, achieving 1,500 launches and recoveries. It has
also operated from a UK Royal Navy Type 23 frigate and from commercial
vessels.
Boeing Defence Australia began operating
ScanEagle in December 2006. Since then, it has surpassed 16,000 flight
hours supporting Australian Land Forces overseas as well as delivering
in-country operator and field maintainer training. Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary and a
business unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, has more than 2,300
employees at 14 locations throughout Australia supporting programs for
the Australian government and defense forces, international and
commercial customers. Insitu Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company located in
Bingen, Wash., designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aircraft
systems for commercial and military applications. Visit www.insitu.com for more information. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing
in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the
world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32
billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide. ### SOURCE: The Boeing Company |
