PERTH, Australia, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbital is
pleased to announce that it has been contracted to supply heavy
fuel engines for use in AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems' (AAI)
Aerosonde® Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS). AAI Unmanned
Aircraft Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron
Inc. company, recently won significant military contracts from the
U.S. Navy and Special Operations Command to provide SUAS
fee-for-service operations utilising the newest configuration of
its Aerosonde SUAS.
Orbital is contracted to supply engines up to a value of
approximately $4.7 million throughout
2012.
This new engine and system uses Orbital's FlexDI™
Engine Management system to enable spark ignition operation of
heavy fuels such as JP5 (naval operations) and JP8 (land based
operations) satisfying a US Department of Defence initiative to
eliminate gasoline fuels for safety and logistic reasons – the "one
fuel" policy.
The small but powerful engine package has been designed to be
light weight, with size, weight and fuel efficiency being key
factors to provide the required range and payload capability for
this aircraft. One key advantage of the Orbital technology is
extended range; the improved fuel efficiency can increase the range
on a typical mission by 40% over current technology, or can allow
AAI to increase the payload.
Orbital's FlexDI™ technology has been proven in
more than 650,000 engine applications in the recreation, marine,
motorcycle consumer markets.
Mr Terry Stinson, CEO and
Managing Director of Orbital comments: "New ground had to be
broken with AAI to meet their aggressive SUAS engine requirements,
and we have been able to successfully develop and supply the
demonstration engines from our Perth facility. This success now leads
to production supply of engine systems. This is good example
of Australian innovation, and demonstrates Orbital's engineering
and product development capabilities."
"The small unmanned aerial systems market is an emerging market
for Orbital and we look forward to realising this potential," added
Mr Stinson.
AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems has designed, manufactured and
fielded combat-proven unmanned aircraft systems for more than 25
years. AAI's multi-mission capable unmanned aircraft and
interoperable command and control technologies provide critical
situational awareness and actionable intelligence for users
worldwide. Its Australia-based
strategic business, Aerosonde Pty Ltd, is a manufacturer of small
unmanned aircraft systems. AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems is an
operating unit of Textron Systems. More information is available at
www.aaicorp.com
About Orbital
Orbital is an international developer of innovative
technical solutions for a cleaner world. Orbital provides
innovation, design, product development and operational improvement
services to the world's producers, suppliers, regulators and end
users of engines and engine management systems for application in
motorcycles, marine and recreational vehicles, automobiles and
trucks. Orbital's principal operations in Perth, Western
Australia, provide a world class facility with capabilities
in design, manufacturing, development and testing of engines and
engine management systems. Headquartered in Perth, Western
Australia, Orbital stock is traded on the Australian Stock
Exchange (OEC) and the NYSE AMEX (OBT).
www.orbitalcorp.com.au
Forward Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking
statements are based upon management's expectations and beliefs
concerning future events. Forward-looking statements are
necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many
of which are outside the control of the Company, that could cause
actual results to differ materially from such statements. Actual
results and events may differ significantly from those projected in
the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors
including, but not limited to, those detailed from time to time in
the Company's Form 20-F filings with the US Securities and Exchange
Commission. Orbital makes no undertaking to subsequently update or
revise the forward-looking statements made in this release to
reflect events or circumstances after the date of this
release.
SOURCE Orbital Corporation Limited
