AAI Unveils Larger, More Capable Shadow | Aviation International News

AAI Unveils Larger, More Capable Shadow

Used at the brigade level for reconaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, the pneumatic catapult-launched RQ-7B is fitted with a

AAI Corp.’s Shadow M2 is a larger, more capable version of the RQ-7 Shadow operated by U.S. and other forces. (Photo: AAI)

October 24, 2011

AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) earlier this month introduced the Shadow M2, a growth version of its Shadow 200 UAS with increased payload capacity for signals intelligence, electronic warfare and other new missions. The M2 will fly higher and longer than the current RQ-7 Shadow operated by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps., the company said. Flight tests are scheduled to begin next year.

The blended-wing Shadow M2 has a wingspan of 25 feet–4.6 feet more than the RQ-7B with wing extension–and replaces the existing Shadow’s UEL AR741 rotary engine with new Textron Lycoming heavy-fuel engine “designed to manned aircraft specifications.” AAI, of Hunt Valley, Md., and Lycoming are operating units of Textron Systems.

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