The U.S. Army Contracting Command has awarded the L3 Technologies a contract to support a fleet of its latest model of the RQ-7Bv2 Shadow unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The award, announced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on 17 February, covers production, depot maintenance and sustainment for software and hardware to produce and deliver components for the RQ-7Bv2 Shadow UAS.
Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2027.
The upgraded version of the UAS is visually similar to the previous model, but with several improvements, including larger fuel storage for longer flight time. In addition to the increased range, the new version of the Shadow meets increased requirements for higher levels of communications security.
The Shadow is capable of assisting ground and aviation units with surveillance and reconnaissance: spotting threats, monitoring vehicle movements, or providing grid locations with its video technology. This information allows the units to conduct missions more efficiently and effectively.