Army Taps Anduril, Performance Drone Works to Supply Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems

The U.S. Army has awarded Anduril Industries and Performance Drone Works a $14.4 million supply contract under Tranche 1 of the service branch’s Company-Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System Directed Requirement, DVIDS reported Wednesday. 

The tailored logistics support 10-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract calls for SUAS deliveries of Anduril’s Ghost X and PDW’s C-100 drones.

Both SUAS have passed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act’s standards and are listed on the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue list for commercial drone technology approved for Department of Defense use.

The Army decided in June 2023 to tap commercial drones to immediately deliver capabilities for mission requirements. The procurement’s main goal is for the service branch’s companies operating on the field to have rapidly reconfigurable SUAS with modular payload capabilities for multi-tasking in reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting missions.  

The Army SUAS program’s Tranche 2, which is focused on drone prototyping, is advancing through additional Defense Innovation Unit funding.

Teal Drone, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, is one of the Tranche 2 participants that the Army selected in March 2022 and declared one of the two program finalists in December 2023.