Textron Systems' Unmanned Systems unit and Boeing’s Insitu subsidiary have each been awarded indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts from the U.S. Special Operations Command to compete for unmanned aircraft task orders. The companies will compete for up to $475 million.

The Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MEUAS) III contract awards, which the Pentagon announced on June 7, call for four 12-month ordering periods followed by one six-month ordering period. The companies will compete to provide contractor-owned, contractor-operated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services at multiple locations using their respective unmanned aircraft. Estimated completion date of the contracts is June 2022.

Textron Systems’ (Static A4) Hunt Valley, Maryland, unmanned systems business will deploy the 80-pound, catapult-launched Aerosonde UAV for the MEUAS III program. Powered by a Lycoming EL-005 heavy fuel engine, the Aerosonde carries multiple payloads, including electro-optical/infrared and communications relay packages.

“After proudly working with the U.S. Special Operations Command under the MEUAS II contract, we look forward to continuing this relationship and fulfilling their operational expectations,” said David Phillips, Textron Systems vice president of small and medium endurance UAS. “It is our priority to support and understand our customers’ needs, and this is a great example of how our solutions can help to address them.”

Insitu previously has provided its ScanEagle UAV under the MEUAS program.