BATMAV program certified for production

MONROVIA, Calif., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force announced its battlefield air targeting micro air vehicle program has received a milestone C approval, authorizing full rate production.

The BATMAV program, which uses California-based unmanned aircraft systems developer AeroVironment Inc.'s Wasp III as the program's micro air vehicle, achieved the milestone after completing the U.S. Defense Department 5000 acquisition process in just over 11 months. Officials announced the contract award for AV's Wasp III in December 2006.

"Achieving full rate production in just 11 months from contract award reflects our team's efforts, working closely with our customers, to satisfy program requirements quickly and efficiently," John Grabowsky, AV Unmanned Aircraft Systems executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "The rapid achievement of full rate production means that we can now produce our Wasp III systems in higher volumes so that our customers can deploy them to the front-line units who need them."

The Wasp III, the first micro air vehicle to be adopted by the U.S. armed forces, weighs only one pound with a wingspan of 29 inches. The unmanned aircraft is equipped with "interchangeable targeting payload modules, including an infrared camera, along with two integrated color cameras that transmit streaming video directly to the hand-held ground controller for display on an integrated monitor," the release said.

The U.S. Marine Corps recently awarded AV a $19.3 million contract for Wasp III MAV systems as a complement to their Raven small unmanned aircraft systems.