AAI Corporation - US Army Shadow
17 August 2006
Challenge
AAI Corporation is the prime contractor for the U.S. Army's Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), known as Shadow®. Prior to the Shadow becoming fully operational, AAI was evaluating the replacement of their existing flight control system and turned to Athena Technologies.
Solution
As pioneers in flight control and navigation systems for UAVs, Athena is continually evaluating the next generation of controls technology and avionics. Athena's GuideStar™ family of autonomous vehicle control and integrated sensor suite systems range in size from a cigar box (GS- 311 and GS-211) to a small cigarette pack (GS-111m). The GuideStar sensors are fully integrated and enclosed in a sturdy casing, offering greater stability and reliability. AAI chose Athena's GS-211e, or as AAI calls the system - the Avionics Common Equipment II or "ACE-II."
With every program, Athena applies proven and patented controls design technology - "Feedback LTI'zation" - and adapts it to a given vehicle's requirements and characteristics. Key considerations for each vehicle are aero and mass properties, servo characteristics, and engine/propulsion performance. This process, and the resulting quality product and integration, is what made Athena stand out among flight control providers.
Results
Athena and AAI's long term relationship, working to offer the best possible solution to the US Army with the Shadow, has resulted in many tens of thousands of flight hours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Shadow is one of the largest TUAS programs utilized by the DOD today.
In November 2005, AAI announced it was honored with winning the Secretary of Defense Performance-Based Logistics Award for Mission Success in the Global War on Terrorism. The success of the Shadow TUAS team, according to the Defense Department award statement, was demonstrated in the significant number of successful sorties flown to support the Global War on Terrorism. Shadow systems met all operational readiness/availability, weapon system availability, and mission success requirements, according to the statement.
