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Orion

Changing the Game in Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Specifications:
  • Medium Altitude Aircraft
  • 15,000-30,000 feet altitude
  • 120+ hour’s endurance
  • Up to 2600 lbs. payload
Features:
  • Open architecture payload and GCS interface
  • Highly autonomous operations
  • Reduced O&M manpower compared to other currently fielded systems
  • Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) components, including JP-8 engines
  • Affordable acquisition cost
Benefits:
  • Demonstrate game-changing long endurance UAS
  • Provide flexible payload platform for local, battlefield conditions without in-country infrastructure
  • Evaluate CONOPs for multi-INT, dynamic environment
  • Generate situational awareness for direct support to troops in contact
  • Increase ISR CAP generation affordably, while reducing risk with COTS design
  • Explore methods to provide automated on-board processing, reducing PED manpower

Today’s medium altitude Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets do not meet requirements of persistent ISR missions, particularly at ranges over 1000 miles. They are limited in persistence capabilities and range, expensive to purchase, operation, train and maintain, and, with poor interoperability, are costly when integrating new features.

Orion is Aurora’s long-endurance, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capable of providing extreme persistence for military applications, such as ISR, communications relay and strike. Orion was competitively selected by the US Air Force for the Medium Altitude Global ISR and Communication (MAGIC) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD). The MAGIC JCTD is sponsored by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to meet its demand for persistent ISR. In the JCTD ranking process, five US Combatant Commands ranked Orion as their number one priority. Orion provides:

  • Affordable Persistence. Orion is able to fly for 5 days with 1,000 lbs payload at 15,000-30,000 feet in altitude.
  • Multi-INT. Orion supports multiple intelligence missions simultaneously, including FMV EO/IR sensor, communication relay, cross cueing and payload fusion, WAAS, VADER, and SIGINT options.
  • Long Endurance. Orion’s long endurance and range supports CONOPS from remote bases.
  • Strike Capability. Orion has the potential to deliver precision munitions for our warfighter.

Long-Range Operations

  • Reduces number of bases needed for worldwide ops
  • Reduces forward footprint minimizing personnel in harm’s way
  • Provides flexibility even when infrastructure (e.g., airfields) unavailable in area of interest
  • Previously unreachable areas of vast oceans are now reachable

View full page PDF of the Orion product page


Bob Ashton

Office Phone: 703-530-1924
Mobile Phone: 571-438-2402
Email: Bob Ashton

© 2012 Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation