Bangladesh to receive Wasp UASs
Bangladesh is set to field the AeroVironment RQ-12B All Environment (AE) Wasp small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS), with a sources sought notification issued by the US Army on 8 October.
The US Army is looking to equip Bangladesh with the Wasp AE SUAS. (AeroVironment)
The request for information (RFI) is for an undisclosed number of systems for the intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) SUAS, comprising hand-launched air vehicles and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) payloads, as well as ground control stations (GCSs) and an initial spares package. AeroVironment characterises a Wasp AE system as consisting of two air vehicles and a GCS.
As noted by the US Army, the RFI does not constitute a formal requirement at this stage, with a decision as to the type of contract and competition set to follow from an analysis of the responses. The RFI did not disclose an estimated contract value or a potential delivery timeline.
According to Janes All the World's Aircraft: Unmanned , the Wasp AE is a micro UAS that incorporates special design considerations to facilitate maritime and land operations. The air vehicle is 0.76 m long, has a wingspan of 1.02 m, and is powered by a single low-acoustic electric motor, while the payload comprises a Mantis i22 AE EO/IR sensor. Guidance and control features include an autopilot that incorporates a digital datalink, autonomous functionality, and use of the GCS that is used with the Puma AE, Raven B, and Wasp III UAVs.
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