Joanna Crews
The Canadian department of national defense has selected a team of AeroVironment and Maxar Technologies‘ MDA subsidiary to provide small unmanned aerial systems for deployment aboard the Canadian navy’s maritime coastal defense vessels.
AeroVironment said Wednesday the military service will receive Puma II AE mini UAS equipped with 360-degree antenna and Mantis i45 sensor systems designed to support maritime operations.
Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s unmanned aircraft systems business, said the hand-launched system is designed to function in contested environments as well as support mission integration and interoperability efforts.
Puma II can be operated through the same control station as the AeroVironment-built Raven UAS platform the Canadian army uses.
MDA will deliver the Puma II units to the Canadian navy under an approximately $6.4 million contract awarded in February.
AeroVironment provided the system to the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps after the company proposed its platform to U.S. Special Operations Command competitive program of record in 2008.
The Defense Department has designated the block 2 Puma variant as RQ-20B.
