Bell Helicopter and AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, both Textron Inc. [TXT] companies said they have teamed up to develop a Manned Unmanned Operations (MUMO) Capability Development Lab in Huntsville, Ala. 

“This capability will allow Bell Helicopter and AAI to maintain and expand our concurrency with Army developmental laboratories and fielded aviation assets,” said Mike Miller, director of Military Business Development, Bell Helicopter.

Revealed during the Army Aviation Association of America annual professional forum and exhibition, the two units said construction is under way for the new lab, which also will be next to and connected to the Shadow Tactical UAS hardware in the loop system integration lab (SIL). This lab, too, is expanding to house a Kiowa Warrior OH-58D baseline simulation facility that will conjoin the Shadow HWIL SIL.