Aurora Flight Sciences will be awarded an $11.1 million modification to a Navy contract benefitting the Autonomous Aerial Cargo I Utility System (AACUS) program.
In its Friday digest announcing the award of various military contracts, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) described the AACUS as a program funded by the Navy aimed at producing innovative advancements in autonomous rotorcraft.
“The primary purpose of AACUS is to enable unmanned Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) rapid response cargo delivery to widely separated small units in demanding and unpredictable conditions that pose unacceptable risks to both ground resupply personnel and aircrew,” according to the statement. “The focus of the program is advanced perception systems, supervisory control interfaces, and [higher] level mission management.
“Migration of developmental AACUS flight testing to a UI-I-1 platform demonstrates the applicability of AACUS on a prolific utility platform.”
Fiscal 2016, research, development, test, and evaluation funds worth $3 million will be assigned with the contract. None of the funds associated with the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will expire at the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The labor will be conducted in Manassas, Va., and should be finished on Feb. 28, 2017.
General Dynamics Ordinance & Tactical Systems received a $24.6 million modification to an Army contract for the delivery of more than 29,000 units benefiting the demilitarization and removal of Multiple Launch Rocket System M26 rockets, rocket pod containers, and components. All of the work will be performed in Carthage, Mo., and should be finished on Dec. 31, 2018.
Raytheon is being awarded a $10.3 million delivery order for the repair of 295 units benefitting the F-18 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar System. Working capital funds will be awarded with the firm-fixed price Navy contract, with none of those funds expiring at the end of the 2015 fiscal year. Raytheon was the only company to submit a bid for the deal. All of the work will be performed in Forest, Miss., and should be finished by December 2017.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense
