AeroVironment [AVAV] has received a $44.5 million contract from a country in the Middle East for its Puma II AE small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipped with its Mantis i45 sensor, the company said March 6.
The deal is AeroVironment’s largest international contract to date for its rugged, portable Puma II UAS with its proprietary electro-optical/infrared gimbal sensor suite.
The company has not made public which country in the Middle East offered the contract.
“This contract for the ground forces of a Middle East regional power, and our largest international order to date, reflects AeroVironment’s continually growing international customer base and our ongoing commitment to equipping more allied forces with the innovative UAS solutions needed to ensure successful missions in a wide range of operations,” Kirk Flittie, vice president of AeroVironment’s UAS division, said.
AeroVironment’s Puma AE UAS is capable of ground and water landings, and the Mantis i45 sensor provides high-quality imaging for improved ISR capabilities.
The Puma AE UAS is also equipped with a precision navigation system and a common ground control system for GPS-based autonomous navigation.
“AeroVironment’s small UAS are transforming the way U.S. and allied ground forces around the world plan, train, equip and operate, giving them the tools needed to proceed with certainty in the most challenging circumstances,” Flittie said.