Boeing Nabs Army Intel Aircraft Contract

Boeing has beaten out five other teams bidding for a U.S. Army intelligence-collection aircraft program totaling about $323 million. Phantom Works, the company’s advanced prototyping division, led the winning team with help from the company’s Network and Space Systems sector. Boeing won against bids from Raytheon, SAIC, Lockheed Martin/Sierra Nevada, L-3 Communications and Northrop Grumman. The contract includes four engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) Enhanced Medium-Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (Emarss) aircraft. There are options for two more EMD units and six low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft. Additionally, the contract includes options for interim contractor logistics support. If all options are exercised, Boeing officials say work will be complete in 42 months. The Army directed that Emarss be based on the Hawker Beechcraft KingAir 350, and the majority of the modification work will take place at that company’s facility in Wichita, Kan. This is the same aircraft used for other intelligence-collection systems designed to counter improvised explosive devices (IED) and provide additional support for the war in Afghanistan. The Air Force is using this platform for its Project Liberty aircraft; L-3 Communications won that contract. The Army plans to deploy the first Emarss aircraft to Afghanistan within 18 months of contract award, which would be June 2012. “Emarss will provide direct support to Brigade Combat Teams with a vital [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capability which builds upon lessons learned in current overseas operations,” says Army Col. Keith Hirschman, who manages the Army’s Aerial Common Sensors program. The service also plans to conduct another competition for full-rate production of 28 aircraft. Though the government will use contractors to support the system, the aircraft will be owned and operated by the Army. The aircraft will be equipped with an electro-optical/infrared full-motion video sensor; communications intelligence collection system; self-protection suite; aerial precision guidance system and both line-of-sight tactical and beyond-line-of-sight communications links. Emarss will accommodate two onboard operators. The aircraft are intended to provide direct support to Brigade Combat Teams on the ground and aid in detecting IEDs. It also is designed to detect, classify and track a variety of surface targets in day or night and through bad weather. Mission duration is expected to be 4-6 hr. Emarss is one of four aircraft projects that grew out of the defunct Aerial Common Sensor contract with Lockheed Martin/Embraer that was terminated owing to design and integration problems. The service also is fielding the Northrop Grumman Long-Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle hybrid airship, Boeing A160T Hummingbird unmanned rotorcraft and enhanced RC-7 Airborne Reconnaissance Low, managed by Northrop Grumman.