Under the $10.3m contract, the company will refresh DDL system for the Dutch forces’ Raven B, Puma AE and Wasp AE micro air vehicles (MAV), as well as ground control systems.
The Netherlands’ Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) also procured a complete family of fixed-wing small UAS from AeroVironment on top of the Raven systems upgrade order.
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DMO said: “The DMO evaluated our extensive operational experience with the AeroVironment Raven system against competing systems available both domestically and internationally.
“After careful deliberation and consideration of total value, DMO decided not only to upgrade our existing analogue Raven systems with AeroVironment’s digital data link, but also to procure the complete AeroVironment family of fixed wing small UAS.”
Work under the contract is expected to be completed within six months.
AeroVironment UAS business segment vice-president and general manager Kirk Flittie said: “There is no greater statement of confidence in our company and our products than when customers place follow-on orders with us.
“We are proud to provide the brave members of the Dutch armed forces with small UAS uniquely capable of helping them proceed with certainty, even in the most uncertain conditions.”
AeroVironment’s family of small UASs operate using a common ground control system (GCS).
