Danish Army Chooses AeroVironment's Raven Small Unmanned Aircraft System
MONROVIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2007--AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a leader in unmanned aircraft systems and efficient electric energy systems, today announced that it has received an order to supply the Danish Army Operational Command with RQ 11 B, Raven B small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The order includes 12 systems, logistics support and training services, for a total value of $2.4 million. Each Raven B system typically consists of three aircraft, a hand-held ground control station, a remote viewing terminal, systems spares, and related services.
Three of the Raven B systems are planned for delivery to the Jaegerkorpset (Army Special Forces), with the remainder destined for troop testing by deployed units at the Danish Army's Artillery Training Center.
"Denmark chose the Raven system after a thorough evaluation of competing offerings," said Ilker "Ike" Bayraktar, vice president of international initiatives for AV. "Raven's track record for reliable combat operation led our customer to select it at a time when Denmark needs a significant number of operational UAS immediately. AV has now delivered more than 7,000 small unmanned aircraft worldwide and Ravens have logged tens of thousands of flight hours with the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. This order is an indication of increasing interest in our small UAS by allied military forces."
About Raven
AV's Raven, the small UAS solution for the U.S. Army, Special Operations Command and Marine Corps' programs of record, is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for "over the hill" and "around the corner" reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. U.S. Armed Forces use Ravens extensively in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition to Raven, AV's small UAS include Puma and Wasp, which are hand-launched and controlled by a hand-held, common ground control station, and Dragon Eye, a hand-launched UAS operated with a different ground control station. AV's UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational availability.
About AeroVironment, Inc. (AV)
Building on a history of technological innovation, AV designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and efficient electric energy systems. The company's small UAS are used extensively by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and increasingly by allied military forces to deliver real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition to tactical operating units. AV's PosiCharge® fast charge systems eliminate battery changing for electric industrial vehicles in factories, airports, and distribution centers. For more information about AV, please visit www.avinc.com.
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SOURCE: AeroVironment, Inc.