Australian UAV Logs 25.000 Hours

24 Juni 2011

ScanEagle UAS (photo : Insitu)

Insitu Pacific Reaches 25,000 Hours Supporting Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan

BINGEN, Wash., June 22, 2011- Insitu Pacific, the Australia-based subsidiary of Insitu Inc., today announced it has achieved 25,000 operational flight hours of ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) services with the Australian Army in Afghanistan.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has used ScanEagle heavily since June 2007. Completing up to 880 flight hours and 150 flights per month, Insitu Pacific personnel work alongside Australian Army personnel in theater to provide 24/7 specialist support with an industry-leading 99 percent mission-readiness rate.

“Insitu Pacific is committed to supporting ADF operations to the highest standard. The past four years and 25,000 flight hours in Afghanistan have clearly demonstrated that commitment,” said Insitu Pacific Managing Director Andrew Duggan.

This high standard was recognised at the Australian Defence Magazine (ADM) Congress earlier this year, when Insitu Pacific received the “Team of the Year Award” for ADM's 2010 best “Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) / Small to Medium Enterprise Team.” Insitu Pacific won the award in concert with the Army Aviation Systems Program Office Unmanned Air Vehicle Management Unit for their collaborative efforts delivering ScanEagle UAS services to the Australian Army in Australia and Afghanistan.

The ScanEagle UAS provides tactical aerial reconnaissance support to land forces in Afghanistan, protecting approximately 1,500 ADF personnel. Insitu Pacific's contribution in Afghanistan is part of ADF Operation Slipper, which is part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) working under a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) mandate.

Insitu Pacific, located in Queensland, Australia, has provided UAS services to defence, civil and commercial interests in the Asia-Pacific region since June 2009. It is a subsidiary of U.S.-based Insitu Inc.

Insitu Inc., located in Bingen, Wash., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. Insitu designs, develops and manufactures UAS and provides associated services for commercial and military applications. With a small footprint and expeditionary focus for both land and sea operations, the company's family of UAS solutions serves the needs of the global defense community. To date, these systems have accumulated 485,000 combat flight hours and 60,000 sorties.

(Insitu)