Company Claims 99 Percent Mission-Readiness Rate

The ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system has exceeded 600,000 combat flight hours, maintaining a 99 percent mission-readiness rate, according to manufacturer Insitu. In an eight year production run, Insitu says it has efficiently delivered uninterrupted tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services while introducing scores of significant ScanEagle upgrades.

“We are honored to provide our global customers with more than 600,000 combat flight hours,” said Insitu President and CEO Steve Morrow. “We recognize that the experience of operating with our customer in challenging environments matters.”

The company says it takes lessons learned from the field and relays them to engineers and program managers. As a result, cost-effective, game-changing technology enhancements are fielded rapidly without interruption in service. ScanEagle is modular, meaning it can be reconfigured in the field to suit the mission. That allows earlier models to be updated for flight with newer capabilities, including advancements that have dramatically improved imagery and exploitation; operational security; training; airspace safety; and reliability, maintainability and availability.

“It’s hard to articulate the meaning of 600,000 flight hours, so it might be easier to think about what it means to one aircraft,” said Morrow. “Our 513th production ScanEagle completed its first mission in the extreme combat environment of Iraq in April 2008. Since then, it has accrued more than 3,500 flight hours and is still deployed today.” (Image provided by Insitu)

FMI: www.insitu.com