
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are reviewing industry proposals to continue the “Close Range” program, in which companies deploy and maintain small unmanned aircraft systems to supplement military surveillance assets.Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) plans to award multiple five-year contracts by fall, said Marine Col. Eldon Metzger, program manager for Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical UAS.The upcoming contracts will be similar to the previous five-year contracts, which have run out. They will call for an…