UAS Center Of Excellence Receives Major Air Force Contract

July 31, 2008

UAS Center Of Excellence Receives Major Air Force Contract

BISMARCK, ND – Gov. John Hoeven today announced that the University of North Dakota’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Center of Excellence and a team of global defense and aviation technology companies, have been awarded a nearly $50 million Air Force Contract. UND’s Center will train pilots for the newest generation of the military’s unmanned aerial vehicles. Private sector partners in the contract are Crew Training International, Science Applications International Corp., XVionics, and BGI-LLC.
“This demonstrates that the UND Center of Excellence for UAVs is truly world class, and an emerging leader in this exciting field,” Gov. John Hoeven said. “The award speaks volumes about UND’s UAS Center of Excellence and establishes a partnership with the Air Force and private sector defense companies.”
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), as they are now called, represent one of the most effective intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism weapons. They are credited, in large measure, with counteracting Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) used by the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan to kill and wound U.S. and allied ground forces. With their long on-station time, sophisticated sensors and guided munitions, “drones” can monitor urban areas and secure major supply routes much more effectively than manned aircraft.

The UAS Center of Excellence draws talented researchers from across UND’s campus including the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, the School of Engineering and Mines, the Northern Plains Center for Behavioral Research, and the Center for Innovation. UND is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to create one of three centers for UAS test and evaluation within the United States.

Currently, the UAS Center of Excellence provides 50 high-value industry jobs. The state has invested $2.5 million into the UAS program, which has been matched by $7.2 million of private-sector funds.

Private sector partners for the UAS Center of Excellence include: AAI/Aerosonde, American Crystal Sugar Company, Appareo Systems, Boeing, Cirrus Design, Composite Engineering, Diamond Aircraft, Frasca International, General Atomics, General Dynamics, Hamilton Sundtrand, Ideal Aerosmith, Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, LaserLith Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, Micro Systems Technology, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Science Application Int’l Corporation, SEO Precision, Alion.

Highlights of the Center’s work to date include:
– Berkeley, Calif., based Laserlith Corporation has established a presence in Grand Forks because of the UAS Center. Laserlith is projecting the creation of up to 100 manufacturing jobs.
– The Center employs 23 people at $1.7 million total payroll.
– High-tech prototype systems created at the Center have been tested and flown on Lockheed Martin’s Sky Spirit UAS and Raytheon’s Cobra UAS.
– UAS representatives have presented at 11 national and international conferences on UAS industry development.
The United States Air Force Battle Lab funded a $3.76 million contract to the UAS Center at UND to research the potential of using gang phased array radar to measure the UAS sense and avoid issue.