Page 21 - Australian Defence Mag Jul-Aug 2020

JULY/AUGUST 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
SURVEILLANCE IN LAND DOMAIN LAND 129 21
finalists being selected for a further evaluation period likely to include competitive fly-offs.
TENDERING APPROACH
Contenders have confirmed that the RFT refers to the preferred tenderer fulfilling the role of prime systems integrator; also that it refers to a single acquisition and sustainment contract, al- though reserving the right to separate the two elements.
According to a comprehensive CASG capability brief, the army is seeking an air vehicle with a gross take-off weight of more than 25 kilograms and less than 250 kilo- grams, that is capable of ‘runway-independent operations’.
The new capability is to feature electro-optical/infrared stabilised imagery; laser pointing, range finding, and tar- get designation; electronic line-of-sight communications; VHF/UHF communications relay; and advanced simulation.
Other enhanced capabilities will include more ad- vanced and modular payloads; encrypted communica- tions; a smaller equipment footprint than the Shadow 200; the ability to operate in other than military re- stricted airspace; an expanded environmental operating envelope (rain, fog etc); and increased connectivity and networking.
Five core tasks are detailed by the capability brief – sur- veillance; target detection; enhanced lethality; intelligence support; and organic support.
ABOVE: Australian Army soldiers, Warrant Officer Class Two Troy Gilhooley (left), and Craftsman Alexander Kurdyukov, carry out routine maintenance on the Shadow 200 unmanned aerial vehicle at Shoalwater Bay Training Area during Exercise Hamel 2018.
DEFENCE