United Industrial's AAI Corporation Receives Order from U.S. Army for 14 Additional Shadow(R) Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems
December 17 2007 - 8:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
HUNT VALLEY, Md., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- United Industrial
Corporation (NYSE:UIC), an affiliate of Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT),
announced today that its AAI Corporation subsidiary has received an
order from the U.S. Army for production of 14 additional Shadow 200
Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS). The value of the
not-to-exceed contract is $153.4 million and includes immediate
funding of $75.2 million. "AAI designed the Shadow system with
soldiers in mind, and clearly it connected with them. Today, the
soldiers and equipment are one - they fly them, maintain them, and
accomplish things even we hadn't thought possible," said Steven
Reid, vice president of AAI's Unmanned Aircraft Systems. "We are
tremendously proud that the Shadow system has become such a trusted
reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition resource for
the U.S. Army." Worldwide, Shadow systems have flown more than
61,000 missions in excess of 259,000 flight hours - more than 90
percent in support of U.S. and allied operations in Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition to the
production and upgrade of Shadow systems, AAI provides
performance-based logistics support and sustainment operations for
fielded and deployed U.S. Army TUAS units. Since December 1999,
when the U.S. Army selected AAI to be its TUAS prime contractor,
the company has been awarded a series of annual production
contracts now totaling 88 Shadow systems. Each system includes four
unmanned aircraft, two One System(R) ground control stations and
ground data terminals, four One System remote video terminals, a
One System portable ground control station, and associated
components and support equipment. Sixty-one systems have been
delivered to the customer, and system deliveries from backlog now
extend through March 2010. Work will be performed at AAI's
manufacturing facilities in Hunt Valley, Md. In addition to the
Shadow 200, AAI manufactures a number of other unmanned aircraft
systems and is recognized for its design and development of
advanced ground control stations and interoperable network
technologies. The company has delivered a variety of aircraft
systems to allied armed forces. "It isn't enough to have the
aircraft in the sky - AAI also provides U.S. and allied warfighters
meaningful, integrated, situational awareness data quickly and
accurately," explains Reid. "Our team is focused not only on
delivering cutting-edge unmanned aircraft, but also providing
state-of-the-art ground control station, data collection and
dissemination technologies." Furthermore, AAI manufactures
Aerosonde(R) unmanned aircraft systems for an array of military and
civil aviation uses. Customers include the Australian Defence
Science and Technology Organisation, NASA and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration in the United States, and the
Meteorological Institutes of Japan and Korea. AAI's One System(R)
ground control station is compatible and interoperable with
multiple unmanned aircraft systems, including Shadow, Pioneer(R),
Hunter, Sky Warrior(R), Fire Scout, Eagle Eye, and Aerosonde.
Commonality reduces future training and operating costs for U.S.
and allied armed forces. About UIC United Industrial Corporation
designs, produces, and supports aerospace and defense systems
through its wholly owned subsidiary, AAI Corporation, and AAI
Corporation's direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, AAI
Services Corporation, Aerosonde Pty Ltd, Aerosonde North America
Incorporated, ESL Defence Limited, McTurbine Inc., and Symtx, Inc.
Its high-technology products and services include unmanned aircraft
systems, training and simulation systems, automated aerospace test
and maintenance equipment, armament systems, aviation ground
support equipment, logistical and engineering services, and
maintenance, repair and overhaul activities. On October 8, 2007,
UIC entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Textron
Inc. Upon completion of this acquisition, AAI Corporation will
become a business operation of Textron Systems. About Textron
Systems Textron Systems Corporation ("Textron Systems") provides
innovative technology solutions to meet the needs of the defense,
homeland security and aerospace communities. The company is known
for its precision smart weapons, surveillance systems, complex
intelligence and communications systems, aircraft control
components, piston engines, specialty marine craft and armored
vehicles. Textron Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avco
Corporation. Avco Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Textron Inc. More information is available at
http://www.textronsystems.com/. About Textron Textron Inc. is an
$11 billion multi-industry company operating in 32 countries with
approximately 40,000 employees. The company leverages its global
network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide
customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known
around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter,
Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO,
Greenlee, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial
Corporation. More information is available at
http://www.textron.com/. Except for the historical information
contained herein, information set forth in this news release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as
"anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends,"
"pending," "plans," and variations of such words and similar
expressions that indicate future events and trends are intended to
identify such forward-looking statements, which include, but are
not limited to, statements regarding the pending merger of the
company with an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc.,
projections of revenues, earnings, segment performance, cash flows,
and contract awards. These forward- looking statements are subject
to inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause the company's
actual results or performance to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in such statements. The company makes no
commitment to update any forward- looking statement or to disclose
any facts, events, or circumstances after the date hereof that may
affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement. For
additional information about the company and its various risk
factors, please see the company's most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K and other documents as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. DATASOURCE: United Industrial Corporation CONTACT: IR:
Stuart F. Gray, +1-410-628-8686, , or Media: Sharon C. Corona,
+1-410-628-3184, Web site: http://www.unitedindustrial.com/
http://www.textron.com/ http://www.textronsystems.com/ Company News
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