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World Defense & Security News - Kratos Defense
 
 
Kratos lands a $22mn USAF contract for BQM-167A aerial targets
 
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced on March 13, 2017 that its subsidiary, Composite Engineering, Inc. (CEi), received Lot 13 production option exercise, valued at $22.3 million, on the previously awarded Air Force Subscale Aerial Target (AFSAT) Lots 11-13 production contract. CEi will provide an additional quantity of 25 AFSAT production target aircraft, plus the associated warranty.
     
Kratos lands a 22mn USAF contract for BQM 167A aerial targets 640 001A BQM-167 Air Force Subscale Aerial Target is launched from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.(Credit: USAF/Bruce Hoffman)
     
Work will be performed primarily at the company's Sacramento, California production facility. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

The contract will be performed by the Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, comprised of CEi and Micro Systems, Inc. (MSI):

  • CEi, located in Sacramento, CA, will lead the effort and provide high performance aerial targets and associated technical support.
  • MSI, located in Ft. Walton Beach, FL, will supply the majority of the high performance avionics utilized on the target aircraft to include critical command / control and flight computer systems.

CEi target systems are used as high fidelity enemy threat surrogates, simulating performance characteristics of certain threat aircraft and missiles, and are utilized by U.S. and allied militaries around the globe for weapons testing/development and training requirements. Kratos is a leading provider of high performance unmanned aerial target systems, unmanned aerial ground and sea platforms, command, control, avionics control, and flight termination systems.

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos' Unmanned Systems Division, said, "We are excited about this 13th consecutive option year of production of our BQM-167A system and are especially proud that the Air Force has been increasing the number of flights and mission requirements for our high performance aerial target system. It is an honor to provide products and services that enable the Aerial Targets Program Office to provide reliable, threat representative targets that support warfighter training and weapon system development for the DoD."