AAI Corporation

Last updated
AAI Corporation
Industry Aerospace industry
Defence industry
ProductsAircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles,
The RQ-2 Pioneer, an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed jointly by AAI Corporation and Israel Aircraft Industries Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.jpg
The RQ-2 Pioneer, an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed jointly by AAI Corporation and Israel Aircraft Industries

AAI Corporation is an aerospace and defense development and manufacturing firm, located in Hunt Valley, Maryland, US. Formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation, AAI was acquired by Textron in 2007. It currently operates as a unit of Textron Systems and employs more than 2,000.

Contents

AAI's products and services include unmanned aircraft and ground control technologies; training and simulation systems; automated aerospace test and maintenance equipment; armament systems; and logistical, engineering, supply chain and operational support services, multi-turreted tracked ground combat vehicles. [1] The company's customers include the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and its prime contractors, allied foreign government ministries of defense, and other United States federal agencies.

History

AAI Corporation originated as Aircraft Armaments, Inc. in August 1950, founded by six aviation and defense industry professionals. It was renamed AAI Corporation in the late 1950s.

ELKE Weapon Test Bed ELKE Weapon Test Bed.jpg
ELKE Weapon Test Bed

AAI's parent company, United Industrial Corporation (UIC), was founded as Hayes Body Corporation in the early 1900s. Renamed many years later, UIC was admitted into the New York Stock Exchange for trading on December 15, 1964.

From 1994 to 2004, AAI partnered with the Czech firm, Škoda, in a joint venture to manufacture trolley buses. The joint venture, named Electric Transit, Inc., supplied 330 trolley buses to San Francisco and Dayton before being dissolved in 2004.

On 22 June 2006 Aerosonde Ltd was acquired by AAI. [2]

Textron acquired AAI and other subsidiaries of UIC with its purchase of the parent company for approximately $1.1 billion in 2007. AAI became part of Textron's helicopter subsidiary, Bell Textron, in the acquisition. [3]

Today, AAI owns or occupies more than 1,100,000 square feet (100,000 m2) of office and manufacturing space across Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA.

As of May 2014, AAI had been made into three parts: Unmanned Systems, Support Solutions, and Electronic Systems. The company is still registered as an active corporation in the State of Maryland under the name, AAI Corporation. [4]

Products & services

Shadow 200 UAV in Iraq Shadow 200 UAV.jpg
Shadow 200 UAV in Iraq

Unmanned systems

AAI is one of a limited number of companies engaged in the design and full-rate production of a successfully fielded, operational unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the DoD. AAI first began development work on the unmanned systems product line in 1985, winning a competitive fly-off with its Pioneer Remotely Piloted Vehicle.

The company's unmanned aircraft systems include the Shadow 200 Tactical UAS, which is designated RQ-7B by the U.S. Army, as well as the Shadow 400 and 600 systems. As of July, 2014, Shadow systems had accumulated more than 920,000 flight hours, [5] with more than 90 percent of those hours in support of U.S. and allied combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. [6] [7]

The company's UAS capabilities expanded with the 2006 acquisition of Australian UAS manufacturer Aerosonde Pty. Ltd. This fleet's newest model is the Aerosonde Mark 4.7 small unmanned aircraft system. In late 2009, AAI conducted a shipboard demonstration of the system aboard the M80 Stiletto ship.

In September 2008, AAI announced that it had teamed with Aeronautics Ltd. to provide the Orbiter miniature UAS in selected markets.

The company's One System Ground Control Station is fielded as part of the Shadow Tactical UAS, as well as the One System Portable Ground Control Station and One System Remote Video Terminal.

On 16 November 2009, AAI entered a 40-year exclusive license agreement with Carter Aviation Technologies concerning a possible autonomous slowed rotor/compound aircraft with potential for increased speed (250 knots) and range (1300 nautical miles) delivering 3000 pounds cargo, compared to traditional rotorcraft. It is to be based on the Carter PAV. [8] [9] In 2014, Carter said they bought back the license from AAI and is seeking production partners outside USA.

AAI was developing an RQ-7 Shadow, also with a Carter rotor on top for vertical take-off and landing, [10] [11] to fly in 2012. [12] AAI also intends to use this technology as the basis for their proposal to DARPAs "Flying Humvee" Transformer program. [13] [14] [15]

In March 2019, the U.S. Army selected Martin UAV and AAI Corporation to "provide unmanned aircraft systems for platoons to try out as candidates to replace the Shadow tactical UAS." The companies signed a contract for delivery over a three-year period. They will deliver systems to six platoons in order to evaluate them during combat and training rotations. The Army seeks better acoustics and runway independence as compared to the old Shadow. The Army is expected to decide "over the course of fiscal 2020" whether it will proceed in replacing Shadow. [16]

Logistics & Technical Services

AAI provides a variety of engineering, logistical, maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the company's own platforms as well as those of other original equipment manufacturers.

Its customers include the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, for which the company supports a wide variety of operational systems. The Logistics & Technical Services business unit also provides depot maintenance equipment and services to domestic and international military aviation customers.

Test & Training Systems

AAI's test systems are used by every branch of the U.S. military. The Joint Systems Electronic Combat Systems Tester is part of the DoD's family of testers and currently supports flight-line electronic warfare testing for several U.S. military aircraft.

The company's Advanced Boresight Equipment systems are used to align avionics and weapons systems onboard military aircraft and helicopters. AAI also produces radar simulators that simulate varied threat signals to test the functionality of radar warning receivers and cockpit displays and controls.

AAI acquired ESL Defence Limited in 2005. Based in the UK, ESL designs and manufactures electro-optical, infrared, and ultraviolet test and simulation/stimulation products for use on flight lines, in aircraft maintenance facilities, and at military test and evaluation ranges.

AAI also provides functional automated test equipment for satellite, electronic and other systems.

Training Systems

AAI has capabilities in the design, production, and sustainment of maintenance training devices such as the C-17 Globemaster, the F-22 Raptor, and most recently, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

AAI modified and produced state-of-the-art, simulation-based maintenance training devices for the F-22 Raptor providing students with instruction in ground maintenance, aircraft servicing, and munitions loading.

The armament training device provides hands-on skill development pertaining to the removal, installation, inspection, operation, and checkout tasks of the gun, gun doors, left main weapons bay door system and launchers, left side weapons bay launcher, right wing pylon, partial fuel system, stores management system, and weapons safing system. The trainer uses real aircraft support equipment including munitions and the portable maintenance aid (PMA).

The landing gear training device allows instruction on maintenance tasks on the landing gear systems, environmental control systems, hydraulics, and electrical and electronic warfare systems. The device supports nose and right main landing gear operation, and an operational arresting hook.

The aft fuselage training device is a mock-up of the left side wing, horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, engine bay, forward engine bay door, and aft engine bay door, as well as numerous light systems and engine bay area components for removal and installation task training.

The F-35 Lightning II aircraft system maintenance trainer provides student maintainers comprehensive training on ground operation, maintenance, fault isolation, and testing procedures in a highly realistic simulated environment utilizing an interactive 3-D virtual aircraft environment. This realistic, 3-D virtual vehicle environment, as well as 2-D panels and displays allow students to navigate throughout the F-35 aircraft during maintenance training and select the virtual support equipment and tools required. A real F-35 portable maintenance aid is connected at each student station, allowing the student to monitor the virtual aircraft functions, run diagnostics, and display technical and task documentation. [17]

AAI's training systems are utilized by U.S. and allied international military customers.

Products include naval, electronic warfare, air defense, radar, and UAS training systems.

Advanced Systems

AAI's Advanced Systems unit primarily investigates and responds to new and emerging customer needs and markets. The company is currently working on the U.S. Army's Lightweight Small Arms Technologies project. It has also developed the PDCue Gunshot Detection System and TDCue acoustic detection systems for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

List of AAI products

Aircraft

Arms

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AAI RQ-2 Pioneer</span> Type of aircraft

The AAI RQ-2 Pioneer is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had been used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, and deployed at sea and on land from 1986 until 2007. Initially tested aboard USS Iowa, the RQ-2 Pioneer was placed aboard Iowa-class battleships to provide gunnery spotting, its mission evolving into reconnaissance and surveillance, primarily for amphibious forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI RQ-5 Hunter</span> Type of aircraft

The IAI RQ-5 Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was originally intended to serve as the United States Army's Short Range UAV system for division and corps commanders. It took off and landed on runways. It used a gimbaled EO/IR sensor to relay its video in real time via a second airborne Hunter over a C-band line-of-sight data link. The RQ-5 is based on the Hunter UAV that was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AAI RQ-7 Shadow</span> American unmanned aerial vehicle

The AAI RQ-7 Shadow is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by the United States Army, Australian Army, Swedish Army, Turkish Air Force and Italian Army for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment. Launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera relays video in real time via a C-band line-of-sight data link to the ground control station (GCS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AAI Aerosonde</span> Type of aircraft

The AAI Aerosonde is a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to collect weather data, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and wind measurements over oceans and remote areas. The Aerosonde was developed by Insitu, and is now manufactured by Aerosonde Ltd, which is a strategic business of AAI Corporation. The Aerosonde is powered by a modified Enya R120 model aircraft engine, and carries on board a small computer, meteorological instruments, and a GPS receiver for navigation. It is also used by the United States Armed Forces for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment</span> American unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer

AeroVironment, Inc. is an American defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Paul B. MacCready Jr., a designer of human-powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971. The company is best known for its lightweight human-powered and solar-powered vehicles. The company is the US military's top supplier of small drones —notably the Raven, Switchblade, Wasp and Puma models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miniature UAV</span> Unmanned aerial vehicle small enough to be man-portable

A miniature UAV, small UAV (SUAV), or drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle small enough to be man-portable. Smallest UAVs are called micro air vehicle.

VMUT-2 Military unit

Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training Squadron 2 (VMUT-2) is an unmanned aerial vehicle training squadron in the United States Marine Corps that is transitioning from operating the RQ-21A Blackjack to the MQ-9A Reaper. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina and will serve as the MQ-9A Reaper Fleet Replacement Squadron, training UAS officers and enlisted sensor operators. Historically, VMUT-2 provided aerial surveillance, offensive air support, and electronic warfare for the II Marine Expeditionary Force. VMUT-2 falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerosonde Ltd</span> Australian UAV manufacturer

Aerosonde Ltd, now part of Textron Systems Unmanned Systems, is an Australian-based developer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the AAI Corporation Aerosonde series. The company has customers in Australia, Asia and North America who use its vehicles for reconnaissance and meteorological applications.

The 13th Aviation Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) employs Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) across all echelons to support tactical, operational, and strategic operations. The types of UAS that are used in these operations are categorized into "Groups" according to their size and capability. Previous to 2010, UAS were categorized into "Tiers" or "Classes" separately by each branch of the military. In order to promote a homogeneous categorization, the "group system" was developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insitu</span> American company

Insitu Inc. is an American company that designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and has several offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms—ScanEagle, Integrator, Integrator Extended Range (ER), ScanEagle 3 and RQ-21A Blackjack, have logged 1.3 million operational flight hours as of May 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter PAV</span> Two-bladed compound autogyro

The Carter PAV is a two-bladed, compound autogyro developed by Carter Aviation Technologies to demonstrate slowed rotor technology. The design has an unpowered rotor mounted on top of the fuselage, wings like a conventional fixed-wing aircraft mounted underneath, and a controllable pitch pusher propeller at the rear of the fuselage. Heavy weights are placed in the rotor tips to enhance rotational energy and to reduce flapping.

Carter Aviation Technologies is a privately held aviation research and development company based in Wichita Falls, Texas, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment T-20</span> Type of aircraft

The AeroVironment T-20 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a medium range, composite aircraft capable of internal and external payloads. Launched from a portable catapult, it can be recovered with a shipboard landing system, or belly land on unimproved surfaces. The T-20 carries a retractable gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera that relays video in real time via a C-band LOS data link to the ground control station (GCS). Powered by a 4-stroke, fuel injected gasoline engine, the aircraft burns 2 lb (910 g) of fuel per hour at cruise. AeroVironment, Inc. acquired Arcturus UAV, the original developer of JUMP 20 and T-20 on February 22, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack</span> Unmanned air vehicle by Boeing Insitu

The Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack, company name Integrator, is an American unmanned air vehicle designed and built by Boeing Insitu to meet a United States Navy requirement for a small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS). It is a twin-boom, single-engine monoplane, designed as a supplement to the Boeing Scan Eagle. The Integrator weighs 61 kg (134 lb) and uses the same launcher and recovery system as the Scan Eagle.

The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 is an American stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance aircraft intended for contested airspace. As of 2019, there had been no images or statements released, but growing evidence points to the existence of the RQ-180 and its use in regular front-line service. The use of the nickname "White Bat" in a 2021 video released by the US Air Force Profession of Arms Center of Excellence (PACE) suggests that the military may be preparing to release information on the RQ-180.

Unmanned aircraft system simulation focuses on training pilots to control an unmanned aircraft or its payload from a control station. Flight simulation involves a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies for pilot training, design, or other purposes. It includes replicating the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of flight controls, the effects of other aircraft systems, and how the aircraft reacts to external factors such as air density, turbulence, wind shear, cloud, precipitation, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resolute Eagle</span>

Resolute Eagle is a long-endurance Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) manufactured and operated by Resolute ISR, Inc. in Howell MI. The Resolute Eagle is a dynamic platform to meet evolving customer requirements. One platform, two configurations. Configuration can be changed in less than 30 minutes. The Standard Fixed Wing configuration launches on a low-pressure Pneumatic launcher and recovers via a Belly-skid landing utilizing a Kevlar skid plate. The Resolute Eagle Hybrid VTOL utilizes two mounted battery-powered booms with four propellers, so it can take off and land like a helicopter—but still, cruise for long distances like a plane. Resolute Eagle utilizes an Applied Navigation Quattro autopilot to transition from Standard Fixed Wing to VTOL configuration.

A weather drone, or weather-sensing uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), – is a remotely piloted aircraft weighing less than 25 kg and carrying sensors that collect thermodynamic and kinematic data from the mid and lower atmosphere.

References

  1. ↑ Versatility to meet any customer requirement. // Missiles and Rockets, May, 1958, v. 3, no. 6, p. 175.
  2. ↑ "AAI Corp Acquires Leading Australian UAV Developer Aerosonde" June 2006. Retrieved: 9 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Textron Buys UAV Makers AAI & Aerosonde" Defense Industry Daily, 10 October 2007. Retrieved: 9 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Business Information Search". Maryland Department of Assessments & Taxation. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  5. ↑ PEO Aviation Public Affairs (December 17, 2014). "Aviation Community has more milestones on horizon". Redstone Rocket.
  6. ↑ Chris McCoy (August 19, 2014). "Advancements in Unmanned Aircraft Systems". Special Operations Technology. KMI Media Group. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ↑ "Cast a powerful shadow" (PDF). Textron Systems. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ "PR 2009-11-16 on CarterAviationTechnologies.com". Carter Aviation Technologies LLC. November 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-11-25.
  9. ↑ "AAI and Carter Aviation Technologies Enter Exclusive Licensing Agreement for Slowed Rotor/Compound Technology". AAI Corporation. 17 November 2009. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Warwick, Graham. AAI adds unpowered rotor to Shadow UAV for VTOL [ permanent dead link ] Aviation Week , 12 November 2010. Accessed: 27 January 2011.
  11. ↑ Warwick, Graham. Carter flies VTOL hybrid Aviation Week , 26 January 2011. Accessed: 27 January 2011.
  12. ↑ Warwick, Graham. AAI Flies Precursor To Advanced Shadow UAVs [ permanent dead link ] Aviation Week , 1 August 2011. Accessed: 2 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Skinner, Tony. Textron pursues 'flying Humvee' programme Archived 2010-11-24 at the Wayback Machine Shephard, 22 July 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  14. ↑ Weinberger, Sharon. The U.S. Military wants a battlefield-ready flying car Popular Mechanics , 15 July 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  15. ↑ DARPA kicks off Transformer (TX) program Archived 2010-11-22 at the Wayback Machine DARPA , 12 October 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  16. ↑ Judson, Jen (29 March 2019). "US Army picks 2 drones to test as Shadow replacement". DefenseNews. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  17. ↑ "Maintenance Training Instruction". AAI. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
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