"Pushing Past Possible"
US defense unit of Textron Inc. building Aerosonde UAS, CUSV and TSUNAMI uncrewed vessels, and Ripsaw robotic ground vehicles for military customers.
Textron Systems is a U.S. defense technology company and a subsidiary of Textron Inc., headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The business traces its unmanned-aircraft heritage to AAI Corporation, founded in 1950 as Aircraft Armaments, Inc. and acquired by Textron in 2007 through the roughly $1.1 billion purchase of parent United Industrial Corporation; AAI had earlier acquired Australian manufacturer Aerosonde Pty. Ltd. in 2006.
Today Textron Systems develops uncrewed and robotic systems across the air, land and sea domains, alongside electronic systems, weapon systems, propulsion, test and training systems, and operations, logistics and modernization support. In the air domain, the Aerosonde small uncrewed aircraft system is offered in Mk. 4.7 and Mk. 4.8 fixed-wing and VTOL variants; the fixed-wing Mk. 4.8 provides 17.2 hours of endurance with a 14.45 ft (4.4 m) wingspan and up to 39 lb (17.7 kg) of payload, while VTOL variants use Hybrid Quadrotor technology for runway-independent operations. The Aerosonde product line has accumulated more than 715,000 flight hours. The company also produced the Shadow 200 tactical UAS, designated RQ-7B by the U.S. Army, which logged more than 920,000 flight hours as of 2014. In the sea domain, the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) is a 38.5-39 ft multi-mission uncrewed surface vessel with up to 8,000 lb of payload, sprint speeds above 30 knots and operation up to Sea State 5; it forms the basis of the U.S.
Navy's Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) for mine countermeasures. The TSUNAMI family spans five uncrewed vessel sizes from 21 to 42.5 ft, most rated at 50+ knots, with autonomy kits that can convert crewed craft to uncrewed operation. The company also supports the U.S. Navy's Ship-to-Shore Connector program. In the land domain, Textron Systems and its Howe & Howe unit field the Ripsaw family of robotic ground vehicles; the compact Ripsaw M1 weighs 4,300 lb curb, carries a 2,000 lb payload, reaches 53 mph and offers 30 miles of silent all-electric range, complementing the Commando family of armored vehicles and the Cottonmouth Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle.
Additional products include the Damocles launched effect. Textron Systems' subsidiaries and related units include Howe & Howe and Lycoming Engines, and its principal customers are the U.S. Department of Defense, including the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, and allied militaries worldwide.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Small military UAS in fixed-wing and VTOL variants; Mk. 4.8 fixed-wing offers 17.2 hr endurance, 14.45 ft wingspan, up to 39 lb payload; 715,000+ fleet flight hours.
38.5-39 ft multi-mission USV, up to 8,000 lb payload, 30+ kt sprint, Sea State 5 capable; basis of the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Influence Sweep System for mine countermeasures.
Family of five uncrewed surface vessels from 21'4" to 42'6", most rated 50+ kts, with autonomy kits converting crewed craft to uncrewed for ISR, counter-narcotics and SAR.
Compact tracked robotic ground vehicle: 4,300 lb curb weight, 2,000 lb payload, 53 mph top speed, 30 mi silent all-electric range, 48 in fording depth.
Contact Textron Systems
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+1 800 655 2616HEADQUARTERS
United States
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