The US Defense Department has awarded the first contract of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative’s $300 million budget for this year, a $19.7 million deal with AeroVironment for a small, hand-launched surveillance drone called the RQ-20 Puma AE, Report informs referring to DefenseNews.
The award came on April 12, just days after the Defense Department announced it would contract with the defense industry for equipment for Ukraine. That’s in contrast with other recent military aid packages, which have been made up of equipment drawn from existing US military supplies.
US Army Aviation and Missile Command awarded AeroVironment, of Simi Valley, Calif., the contract for RQ-20 Puma AE systems, along “with reconnaissance surveillance and target acquisition kits, initial spares package, contractor logistics support and new equipment training for the country of Ukraine.” Work is due to be complete by May 30.
The drone has a range of about 12 miles and its battery provides more than three hours of flight time, according to a company fact sheet. It has a wingspan of about 9 feet and weighs 14 pounds – with its electro-optical and infrared camera and illuminator on a mechanical gimbaled payload.
