Defence

A team led by Boeing Phantom Works is to modify the ScanEagle unmanned air vehicle to look for biological warfare agents under a demonstration funded by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

In flight tests late next year, two ScanEagle UAVs equipped with a remote sensor system will be operated from US Navy research ships to locate, track, collect and detect simulated biological warfare agents, to demonstrate the ability to determine whether a target has biological or chemical agents present.

The initial $8.2 million demonstration contract includes options valued at $15 million for further development and limited production of up to eight air vehicles. The Insitu-designed ScanEagle is now being used by the US Navy and Marine Corps in Iraq under services contracts with Boeing.