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November 21, 2019 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

Pegasus Imagery: Imagining a smarter future

by Tania Moffat

Initially created to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions for the military, drone technology has had difficulty transitioning to commercial use. Military drones are not well-suited to interact with civilian aircraft and consumer models do not have the necessary range or technology.

Alberta-based Pegasus Imagery believes it has bridged the technology gap between military and consumer applications. The company provides real-time intelligence and data solutions at scale to the emergency management, public safety and energy sectors.

Owner Cole Rosentreter became an entrepreneur after a parachuting accident cut his decorated 15-year military service short. A paratrooper with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) he actively served on several deployments, including three in Afghanistan. During his tours, he witnessed how drone technology was able to help soldiers work safer, smarter and more effectively.

“It was a natural choice to make my next mission to support the guys on the front lines here at home,” he said.

Bridging the tech gap

Hyperion, the company's long-range drone, was designed to deliver continual airspace awareness during flight and to deliver these solutions at scale. It is based on two prototypes used in commercial contracts earlier this year for the Alberta government, law enforcement, conservation and the energy sector.

The aircraft is capable of carrying multiple sensors on a single flight, including connected voice and data comms. In addition to its ability to supply thermal imaging and aerial mapping, it is equipped with military-grade sensors and communications equipment, able to capture and deliver real-time electro-optical and infrared video through a secure connection.

“We build our own drones to meet the needs of the market. All of our aircraft are manufactured in Canada and use only components and technology developed in North America,” said Rosentreter, explaining the company's commitment to information security. The first of these drones are already in the manufacturing stage of development.

Timing is everything

Transport Canada's June 2019 release of its remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) regulations were serendipitous for the company and provided a road map for the integration of drones into the national airspace system. Pegasus Imagery has identified benchmarks and critical areas of interest that it needs to be able to fly beyond visual line of sight (BLVOS) in Canada. This ability is required for the pilots to collect data at scale.

Pegasus holds a unique special flight operations certificate from Transport Canada authorizing operations up to 2,000 ft in all restricted airspace across Canada. Pegasus is also working with Transport Canada and early adopters on BVLOS trials in uncontrolled airspace starting in 2020.

Since relocating to the Edmonton International Airport last March, the airport authority has become a close partner, helping the company to transition from aircraft development into the trials and beyond.

Partnering with commercial aviation

The Helicopter Association of Canada expects to see a net loss of 7,000 pilots by 2035. With personnel shortages looming, drones can free up pilots to work where they are most needed.

“We are not here to replace jobs; we are here to make jobs more efficient for the people doing them. It's about playing to everyone's strengths. We excel at persistent monitoring and information sharing that enables manned aviation to fly more.

“For example, in a wildfire situation, drones can gather data 24 hours a day from above the fire and not put pilots in danger. Very few aircraft fly at night near a wildfire, and the night shift is a natural place to start filling that information void. We're going to see this transition to daytime use as well. By flying a few thousand feet higher than the helicopters, bird dogs, and waterbombers, the real-time information provided allows those pilots to respond where they are needed most,” explained Rosentreter.

Drones are also well suited to detecting fires over large areas of land within minutes. “When you look at the root cause of wildfires, you see that from the time a fire starts to when it is detected can be anywhere from minutes to days,” Rosentreter continued.

Alberta has 127 lookout towers for fire detection, it is a massive infrastructure and personnel investment. Officers look for smoke on the horizon, but often by the time a fire is big enough to do that, it is too large to be put out by a single helicopter team. The length of time between fire detection and the point where it can no longer be actively engaged and suppressed can be very short.

“Unmanned aircraft can operate 24-7 at scale to detect a fire in minutes allowing for the immediate deployment of the best resources,” he further explained. Additionally, after a fire, drones are also able to offer 3D mapping of the affected areas to assist with recovery methods.

Rosentreter is passionate about the service Pegasus Imagery is providing. “First responders have the mission of keeping our communities, environment and economy safe here at home. We can provide the tools to assist them. Their mission is really our mission.”

https://www.skiesmag.com/news/pegasus-imagery-imagining-a-smarter-future

On the same subject

  • US Army confident any tech schedule slips are recoverable

    April 24, 2020 | International, Land

    US Army confident any tech schedule slips are recoverable

    By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is girding for modernization program delays and a rise in acquisition costs as the coronavirus pandemic ripples across its installations and through its network of suppliers. Army leaders told reporters Thursday they are confident the service can juggle schedules to make up for any emerging delays and would ask Congress to help address future cost growth. While some larger prime contractors have adapted quickly, officials said, they warned that lower-tier companies with less slack in their workforces remain vulnerable. The Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System had several major tests and evaluations scheduled, including a long-awaited limited-user test, or LUT. However, Army Futures Command chief Gen. Mike Murray said in a call with reporters that the testing schedule “will slide a little bit, but we will be on time” for the program's other milestone decisions. “I am very confident we will get the LUT done this summer or early fall,” he said. The Army is in the third year of an ambitious modernization overhaul, which depends in part on “soldier touchpoints,” or user evaluations of new equipment. The modernization efforts are now in question as commanders apply physical distancing measures to protect their soldiers. For example, a touchpoint at Fort Riley, Kansas, for a future replacement of the RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aircraft system is going ahead, but the commander at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, decided to postpone one there. Whether wider program delays are coming, “we're still watching very closely, and what I am very much focused on is there may be some slips in key decisions and soldier touchpoints,” Murray said. “The current estimate is we will deliver that [UAS] capability to our soldiers by the time we said we would.” The Army will also push a critical touchpoint for the Integrated Visual Augmentation System from the summer to the fall after Microsoft — a subcontractor for the prime — temporarily closed. The device is a set of goggles meant to provide soldiers next-level night and thermal vision as well as enhance navigation and targeting. “Not only for that program but for all our programs, input from the soldiers that were actually asked to use this equipment has been critical,” Murray said. “That has been impacted.” The comments came as the Pentagon expects a broader three-month delay for major acquisition programs and speeds progress payments to primes that should trickle to small businesses. Army acquisitions officials have worked to help get second- and third-tier suppliers access to small business loans as well as facilitate cash flow to them. “The supply chain does have some challenges, and that's probably where the vast majority of any slips would occur that are tied to individual companies,” said Bruce Jette, the Army's acquisition chief. “These companies are small, and if one person gets COVID in the company, the next thing you know you've lost 14 days with the company because everybody that didn't get it is in quarantine.” BAE Systems coordinated a temporary closure with the Army and plans to scrap a planned summer break to make up the time. Boeing's closure in Philadelphia also came and went. “It's like that down [the] chain for the primes: They tend to be coming back online,” Jette said. “The ones where we end up with two or three weeks are the ones where we've got small individual companies of maybe 20 to 30 people who were suppliers of cables, or connectors and things like that. “There's something there that tends to have a bigger impact or take a little bit longer time. And with them, we try to execute those portions of the program which aren't dependent upon those components, and then we'll come back and clean up the battlespace.” Some big agenda items for the Army don't appear to have been knocked off balance. For example, the Army is still planning on another flight test of Lockheed Martin's Precision Strike Munition, or PrSM, by April 30, which will deliver a new long-range precision fires capability to the battlefield. The capability is the Army's No. 1 modernization priority. “I'm confident enough that we're going to do the next test flight [of] PrSM that I scheduled a military aircraft to go out and see it, so I'm very confident,” Murray said. The Army's latest “night court” review — used to divest the service of unneeded programs — proceeded virtually, as much of the Pentagon shifted to remote work. As part of the review, Army leaders recently received the final brief concerning equipment. “A lot of the recommendations are pretty much close to being finalized,” Murray said. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/04/23/us-army-confident-any-tech-schedule-slips-are-recoverable/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – September 22, 2020

    September 23, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – September 22, 2020

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Suffolk, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $804,744,193 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a five-year contract. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Sept. 20, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military services are Air Force and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3286). O&M Halyard, Mechanicsville, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $35,188,397 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical and surgical products. This was a competitive acquisition with 18 responses received. This is a one-year base contract with nine one-year option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Sept. 21, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Warstopper funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D0-20-D-0018). Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $32,248,579 firm-fixed-price contract for television cameras and sensor assembly units for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period. The option is being exercised at the time of award. Location of performance is Texas, with a May 25, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-C-0188). AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded an $85,273,664 fixed-price, incentive-firm, firm-fixed-price, cost‐plus‐incentive‐fee and cost-reimbursement modification (P00180) to previously awarded contract FA8810‐13‐C‐0002 to continue Space Based Infrared System contractor logistics support. Work will be performed at Peterson Air Force Base, Buckley AFB, Greeley Air National Guard Station, and Boulder, all located in Colorado, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used with no funds being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,914,295,948. The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson AFB, Colorado, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Layton, Utah, has been awarded a $13,287,959 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00132) to contract FA8214-15-C-0001 for additional qualification requirements for the Signal Conditioner Module for the MOD 7 Flight Test Kit (SC Module). The objective of this proposed effort is to perform full qualification and acceptance testing to support new builds. Work will be performed in Layton, Utah, and is to be completed June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 missile procurement funds in the amount of $4,140,649 are being obligated at the time of award. Modification is funded with current year 3020 funds. AFNWC/PZBB is the contracting agency at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity. Systems and Technology Research,* Woburn, Massachusetts, has been awarded an $8,297,019 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for software deliverables. This contract provides for the research and development of challenge problems to validate and evaluate the design technologies developed by the Technology Area (TA) 1 team and the symbiosis technologies developed by TA2 teams. The focus of the research is Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) related models and seed designs. This effort brings two unique and differentiated design approaches to the Symbiotic Design for Cyber Physical Systems community from two pioneering UUV developers. Work will be performed in Woburn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed October 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 23 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,011,150 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-0535). ARMY FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded a $78,709,973 firm-fixed-price contract for M249 Squad Automatic Weapons. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 19, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0036). James Construction Group LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was awarded a $13,349,914 firm-fixed-price contract to design and construct a new two-lane bridge. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of May 23, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $13,349,914 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-20-C-0038). World Wide Technology LLC, St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded an $8,980,145 firm-fixed-price contract for network upgrades. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 9, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,980,145 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 408th Contracting Support Brigade, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, is the contracting activity (W912D2-20-F-0046). Julius Kaaz Construction Co. Inc.,* Leavenworth, Kansas, was awarded an $8,852,723 firm-fixed-price contract to complete the renovation of Building 50 at Fort Leavenworth. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of March 25, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $8,852,723 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-20-C-4015). NAVY Life Cycle Engineering Inc., Charleston, South Carolina (N64498-20-D-4036, $44,312,721); and McKean Defense Group LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (N64498-20-D-4037, $33,941,662), are awarded a combined total $78,254,383 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering and technical services to support the shipboard Electronic Chart Display and Information System and the Situational Awareness Bridge Display System for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (20%); Norfolk, Virginia (10%); San Diego, California (10%); Washington, D.C. (5%); Mayport, Florida (5%); Charlottesville, Virginia (4%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (4%); Yokosuka, Japan (4%); the Kingdom of Bahrain (4%); Bremerton, Washington (2%); Rota, Spain (2%); and the remainder of the work (30%) will be performed at the contractor sites according to each awarded task order, and is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 ($250,000 obligated on each contract) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded a $75,129,607 modification (P00006) to previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-19-D-0003. This modification exercises options to provide aircraft inspections, modifications and repairs as well as inner wing panel (IWP) modifications and repairs for the F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G series aircraft. These efforts restore the aircraft and IWP to meet service life projections in accordance with new design specifications. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida (80%); St. Louis, Missouri (15%); and Lemoore, California (5%), and is expected to be completed in September 2021. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Etolin Strait Partners LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification for the exercise of Option Year One under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington, D.C., area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for various maintenance, repair, alteration and minor new construction projects for facilities located primarily within the NAVFAC Washington, D.C., AOR in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The total contract amount after this modification will be $60,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed primarily in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by September 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2021 military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); O&M (Defense Logistics Agency); and Navy working capital funds. NAVFAC Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0007). Centerra Integrated Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia, is awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $30,000,000 for minor construction, alteration and repair of real property and utilities at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. An initial task order is awarded at $64,194 to provide new high density polyethylene pile fenders at the Windward and Leeward Ferry Landing. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, general construction projects including new construction, repair, alteration, renovation, demolition and other construction-related operations or projects. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by January 2021. All work for this contract will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $64,194 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N and O&M (Army). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov Contract Opportunities website with three proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-20-D-0072). Bette & Cring LLC, Latham, New York, is awarded a $23,064,843 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of a co-generation plant at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. This work to be performed is a construction project for the co-generation plant with a combined heat and power system to generate electricity and steam at the Naval Research Laboratory. Site preparation includes above-ground site demolition and relocations, underground site demolition and utility relocations, excavation, grading preparation for construction and paving. Mechanical systems will include water, steam, sewer, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by April 2023. Fiscal 2016 and 2017 military construction contract funds in the amount of $23,064,843 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with four proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-20-C-0023). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $21,909,659 modification (P00040) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-16-C-0032. This modification exercises an option for test and evaluation support for Next Generation Jammer integration on the EA-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,360,505 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Pacific Maritime Industries (PMI) Corp.,* San Diego, California (N00189-20-D-0030); TST Fabrications LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00189-20-D-0031); and Tri-Way Industries (TWI) Inc.,* Auburn, Washington, (N00189-20-D-0032), are awarded an estimated $15,984,115 multiple award for a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders to provide a means to purchase shipboard lockers and related materials in support of the Shipboard Habitability Improvement Program at competitive prices in accordance with the delivery schedules listed on the Statement of Work. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8, which if exercised, will bring the total estimated value of this contract to $19,540,057. The base ordering period is expected to be completed by September 2025; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by March 2026. Specific requirements for habitability support cannot be predicted at this time; therefore, the various locations of where the supplies will be delivered cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,500 ($2,500 on each of the three contracts) will be obligated to fund the contracts' minimum amounts and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on beta.SAM.gov as a small business set-aside for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504, with four offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Norfolk Office, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $9,018,804 firm-fixed-price modification (P00023) to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-successive-target contract N00019-17-C-0018. This modification establishes final configuration and final price determination for the unique material required for the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft. This modification provides for the procurement of three Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 4.0 material kits and one IFC 4.0 retrofit kit. Additionally, this modification adds scope to support non-recurring engineering efforts associated with wing and v-tail modifications and the procurement of components and associated efforts in support of Lot Three low rate initial production. Work will be performed in Rancho Bernardo, California (28.9%); Palmdale, California (12.6%); Waco, Texas (9.6%); Red Oak, Texas (5.6%); Sparks, Nevada (5%); Verona, Wisconsin (4.4%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (2.4%); Westchester, Ohio (2.4%); San Clemente, California (2.1%); Salt Lake City, Utah (1.2%); Menlo Park, California (1.1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (24.7%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,018,804 will be obligated at the time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $7,733,142 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6413 to exercise options for configuration changes, engineering services, material maintenance and repair. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Defense-wide; 80%), and fiscal 2020 procurement (Defense-wide; 20%) in the amount of $497,000 will be obligated at the time of award, of which, funds in the amount of $397,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2357052/source/GovDelivery/

  • Saab to build new plant in Indiana for T-X trainer jet

    May 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Saab to build new plant in Indiana for T-X trainer jet

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab will build a T-X production facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, where it will manufacture its portion of the Air Force trainer jet it is developing with Boeing, the company announced Wednesday. The company plans to invest $37 million in the site, which will produce “major structural sections” and conduct final assembly of Saab's piece of the jet, according to a Saab news release. Then those elements will be sent to Boeing's facility in St. Louis, Missouri, to be mated with the rest of the trainer. Construction on the new facility will begin in 2020, and Saab intends to hire at least 300 full-time employees from the area during the initial years of the site's operation. The announcement, made Wednesday during a ceremony at West Lafayette-based Purdue University, fulfills a promise Saab officials made in 2017 to establish a new manufacturing center in the United States once the Boeing-Saab team had won the T-X contract. At the time, Saab President and CEO Håkan Buskhe said the company was still considering site locations, as well as whether to repurpose an existing production facility or construct a new campus. However, he was confident at least 90 percent of the jet could be made in the United States — an important qualifier under the Trump administration, which has touted “Buy American” policies. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Purdue University President Mitch Daniels and Buskhe attended the ceremony on Wednesday. “After careful consideration, we have chosen West Lafayette, thanks to the visionary leadership of both the State of Indiana and the world-leading Purdue University,” Buskhe said. “Today's announcement is a part of our growth strategy in the United States, and deepens our relationship with the U.S. customer. We see great possibilities here for this facility and our partnerships.” In addition to building the new facility, the Swedish company will partner with Purdue University, a hub of engineering talent in the Midwest, to conduct research on advances in sensors, artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies. During the ceremony, Buskhe noted the scope and level of investment of these activities has not been decided. Under the T-X program, Saab and Boeing will produce at least 351 trainers for the U.S. Air Force. The Navy and Marine Corps is also interested in buying the jet, and the Air Force is considering its use for simulating adversaries during combat and for light-attack missions — a prospect that could land the Saab-Boeing team additional sales in the hundreds. The Air Force awarded the $9.2 billion T-X contract to Saab and Boeing last year, and the service's first T-X squadron is expected to be operational in fiscal 2024. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2019/05/08/saab-to-build-new-t-x-plant-in-indiana/

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