Army Looks to Replace RQ-7 Shadow.

• Author: Lee, Connie

The Army is moving to find a successor for its RQ-7 Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft system, a drone it has long used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The change comes at a time when the service is seeking to modernize its equipment through its recently created Army Futures Command. To pursue these changes, the service set up multiple cross-functional teams to pursue its top modernization efforts, which include long-range precision fires, next-generation combat vehicle, future vertical lift, the network, air-and-missile defense and soldier lethality. The Shadow replacement falls under the Army's future vertical lift team, the main initiative of which is to upgrade the service's helicopters with clean-sheet design systems.

Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen, the director of the FVL cross-functional team, said the service is employing a "different kind of construct" to replace the Shadow, which is made by Textron Systems. Rather than pursue a developmental process, the service is leveraging other transaction authority agreements. OTAs are a contracting vehicle revised in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act to help cut through bureaucratic red tape. Such an approach will allow the service to examine competitive prototypes and offer a production contract if desired. This approach is more efficient than the traditional acquisition system, Rugen said in an interview with National Defense.

The Army sent out a request for proposals to industry to pursue these prototypes at the end of September.

"We feel like we don't need to necessarily develop a Shadow replacement," Rugen said. Because of UAV advancements in industry, the Army felt companies already have options that meet its needs.

Although the service is still deciding on its requirements for the new system, it is currently pursuing three main features. These include a better acoustic signature, runway independence and the ability to be transported in organic assets, such as the CH-47 Chinook, Rugen said.

Asked if the Army is revisiting the idea of weaponizing the Shadow, which was an effort previously explored with the Marines, Rugen said it is too early to say.

These initial requirements stemmed from an operational needs statement from the I Army Corps and the XVIII Airborne Corps, he said.

The Army held its first fly-off in December and January at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Rugen declined to name the participants. Results of the fly-off are...