Companies launch UAV joint venture

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products and Elbit Systems of America LLC have formed UAS Dynamics LLC, a new company that will provide unmanned aerial systems to the Defense Department and other potential U.S. government customers.

The joint venture, owned equally by General Dynamics Corp. and Elbit Systems of America, will be located in Fort Mill, S.C.

The sales would be made through programs such as the recently announced U.S. Marine Corps’ Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS)/Tier II program, company officials said.

UAS Dynamics’ solutions will be based on the combat-proven Hermes and Skylark systems, developed and fielded by Elbit Systems of America, of Fort Worth, Texas. They are advanced UAS designs that have accumulated more than 150,000 operational flight hours.

UAS Dynamics will adapt those designs and incorporate new technologies that use U.S. engineering, technology, manufacturing and logistics resources to meet evolving U.S. requirements, the officials said.

The new platforms will fill current and future operational gaps allowing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities ranging from hand-held and tactical-level systems to medium altitude, long-endurance systems, they added.

“UAS Dynamics is an American company positioned to address U.S. defense requirements with operationally proven systems that have been modified, manufactured and supported locally,” said Doug Tobiassen, newly named president of UAS Dynamics.

Paul Keller, currently at Elbit Systems of America, will serve as executive vice president of UAS Dynamics.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, of Charlotte, N.C., is a business unit of General Dynamics.

Elbit Systems of America is a wholly owned unit of Elbit Systems Ltd., a global electronics company based in Israel.