BAE Systems has been awarded contracts by The Boeing Company to supply
the Vehicle Management Control System and Identification Friend or Foe
(IFF) System for the MQ-25.
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The MQ-25 is the U.S. Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and is designed to provide a much-needed refueling capability. (Photo: BAE Systems)
“BAE Systems leads the industry in high-integrity fly-by-wire and
mission-critical IFF technologies,” said Corin Beck, director of
Military Aircraft Systems at BAE Systems. “Our relationship with Boeing
started more than four decades ago and has resulted in aircraft that
have some of the most advanced avionics and reduced size transponders in
the world.”
The Vehicle Management Control System will control all flight surfaces
and perform overall vehicle management duties for the MQ-25 unmanned
aerial vehicle. The IFF product ensures operation in contested
environments by reliably identifying both coalition and enemy vehicles.
The MQ-25 is the U.S. Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned
aircraft and is designed to provide a much-needed refueling capability.
The contract supports Boeing’s engineering and manufacturing development
program to provide four MQ-25 aircraft to the U.S. Navy for Initial
Operational Capability by 2024.
“The MQ-25 program is vital because it will help the U.S. Navy extend
the range of the carrier air wing, and Boeing and our industry team is
all-in on delivering this capability,” said Dave Bujold, Boeing’s MQ-25
program director. “The work we’re doing is also foundational for the
future of Boeing – where we’re building autonomous systems from seabed
to space.”
BAE Systems is an industry leader in the design, development,
production, and support of highly reliable flight control systems for
commercial and military aircraft. It was the first to introduce
fly-by-wire in both military and civil applications. BAE Systems is also
a world leader in IFF equipment and this program expands its footprint
to approximately 150 platforms worldwide.
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