Special Operations Command chooses 6 for unmanned contract

Six companies have won seats on a five-year, $975 million contract to provide unmanned aircraft systems and other related services to U.S. Special Operations Command for use in mid-endurance flights.

Socom received 10 bids total for this fourth iteration of the Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems contract and will compete work at the task order level, the Pentagon said in its Thursday awards digest.

Awardees are:

• Arcturus
• AAI Corp. (part of Textron Systems)
• Insitu (subsidiary of Boeing)
• L3 Unmanned Systems (now L3Harris Technologies)
• Precision Integrated Programs
• Wildflower International

Deltek data indicates incumbents that will continue their role on MEUAS IV are Boeing through its ownership of Insitu, Arcturus and Textron via AAI. The other three awardees are newcomers.

Socom uses the vehicle to acquire unmanned systems and other services to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions worldwide.