Flight International online news 09:30 GMT: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said Monday the US Army had awarded it a $214 million contract to deliver an Extended Range Multi Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle system (ERMP). 

The contract launches a three-year system development and demonstration programme with the first of about 60 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) deliveries to start in fiscal year 2009.

The selected ERMP UAV System, named Warrior, is a modified version of the Predator, the primary UAV used by the Air Force.

In winning the contract, General Atomics beat off competition from defence company Northrop Grumman, which already supplies the Army with its Hunter UAV.

The deal is the first phase of a US Army $1 billion ERMP programme.

Source: Flight International