In a significant milestone for both Textron Systems and the U.S. Navy, the Aerosonde Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) completed its first operational flight from a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) on Jan. 29. Launching from the USS Savannah, the inaugural mission marks the start of Aerosonde’s operational deployment onboard the LCS platform, bolstering the Navy’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and expanding its reach across diverse maritime missions.
This deployment stems from a contract awarded to Textron in June 2023, tasking the company with providing UAS support for one Freedom Class and two Independence Class LCS variants. The Aerosonde system’s versatility and multi-mission capabilities will significantly enhance the LCS’s effectiveness in critical areas such as forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.
“Teaming an uncrewed aircraft system with a crewed ship is a force multiplier for the ship’s existing mission sets,” commented Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Air Systems at Textron. “The expansion of the Aerosonde system’s services onto the LCS extends the capability of the various mission packages employed by the ship, offering valuable overwatch and extended ISR services with enhanced payloads.”
The Aerosonde’s proven track record is a key factor in its selection. With over 650,000 flight hours accumulated across more than a decade, the system offers flexible payload configurations and both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing options, making it adaptable to diverse operational needs. This latest integration marks the fifth ship class and seventh total ship that the Aerosonde system has been contracted to support, demonstrating its growing presence within the Navy’s fleet.
The inaugural flight from the USS Savannah signifies a significant step forward in the integration of unmanned aerial systems into the Navy’s LCS operations. As the demand for persistent ISR capabilities continues to rise, the Aerosonde system’s versatility and proven performance position it to play a crucial role in future deployments, strengthening the Navy’s maritime dominance and expanding its operational reach across diverse and dynamic environments.
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