The U.S. Navy PMA 263 has selected Kraus Hamdani Aerospace to provide the K1000ULE solar-electric VTOL UAS. It will be fielded by the United States Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System.
The Navy ultimately selected the K1000ULE through a comprehensive down selection evaluation process.
Conducted at a government test facility and overseen by the University of Maryland UAS Research and Operations Center, the following capabilities were evaluated:
- Enhanced maneuverability, enabling operations from disadvantaged locations
- Reduced transportation and logistics enabling rapid transportation into theater
- Minimized crew requirements with a maximum of two operators (pilot and sensor operator)
- Silent operations to minimize detection
- Airborne endurance (extended flight time). The K1000ULE remains a world leader in long-endurance aerial operations
- VTOL capabilities, ensuring independence from traditional runways
- Durability, with the ability to operate in various environmental conditions
- Day and night operations and sensor capabilities
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance with Target Acquisition capabilities
- Compliance with the SOCOM Modular Payload (MOD Payload) standard
- Command and Control (C2) range between operator and aircraft
- Mission systems include simplified Command and Control of the K1000ULE, Full-Motion Video (FMV) interfaces, and Target Acquisition capabilities
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Once in the hands of the U.S. Marine Corps., the attributes above will enhance the Navy’s capacity to perform Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance operations simpler, faster, and more cost-effective with the ultimate objective of saving lives. Additionally, the Navy will get enhanced long-range communication capabilities enabling continued coverage in denied and contested environments.
World-leading hardware. Game-changing software.
The K1000ULE, while providing the longest endurance in the electric Group-2 VTOL category, is enabled to share critical data between platforms within its network. This allows for the repositioning of aircraft on-demand based on sensor input while dynamically populating the Common Operating Picture.
A single operator can control a swarm of K1000ULE UAS through a simple user interface, identifying specific coverage areas and launching the correct number of aircraft to fulfill dynamic missions. The pilot has full situational awareness and can dynamically re-task aircraft in real-time as mission objectives change using gamified user interfaces.
SOURCE: PRNewswire