Honeywell [HON] this week announced it has received an order via Foreign Military Sales, for six T-Hawk MAV (Micro Air Vehicle) systems from the U.S. Navy, which is the contracting agency for the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the T-Hawk MAV system procurement.
The circular vehicle, weighing 17 pounds and 14 inches in diameter, can fly down to inspect hazardous areas for threats without exposing warfighters to enemy fire, the company says. The T-Hawk MAV has the ability to take off and land vertically and can fly more than 40 minutes. In addition, the T-Hawk MAV can move at more than 40 knots of airspeed and operates at altitudes of more than 10,000 feet.
“Honeywell’s T-Hawk MAV provides an eye in the sky for battlefield surveillance,” Paolo Carmassi, Honeywell president of the Aerospace Europe, Middle East, Africa and India region, said. “The T-Hawk MAV, equipped with video cameras to relay real-time data, is an essential asset for identifying improvised explosive devices and other hazards facing troops.
The U.S. Army is working with the T-Hawk MAV, and a more advanced version as part of the Army Evaluation Task Force as part of Future Combat Systems equipment that could be fielded to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams.
“The T-Hawk is small enough to carry in a backpack and is equipped with video cameras that relay information back to foot soldiers using a portable handheld terminal. The system has been deployed in Iraq to keep American troops safer by identifying enemy threats from the sky. The deployment is the first time a ducted-fan unmanned aerial vehicle has been used during combat missions,” Carmassi said.
Using minimal operator training, the system includes two airborne vehicles and a portable ground station to guide or program the aircraft’s flight and receive camera images. It can also be equipped with electro-optical cameras for daylight operations or infrared cameras for night missions.
A civilian version of the T-Hawk is being evaluated by the Miami Dade Police Department for law enforcement applications, Carmassi said.
In addition to the six T-Hawk MAV units, the MoD will receive training, field support, maintenance and spare parts.
The order is an addition to the Navy’s existing T-Hawk contract with Honeywell announced in November 2008 for 90 systems. The systems will be delivered to the MoD in 2009.
In November the Navy awarded Honeywell its first production contract for the T-Hawk MAV. The T-Hawk MAV will be used by joint force EOD (Explosive Ordinance Device) units in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other locations.