USA restarts sensor quest

Posted on: Jan. 24th, 2006 || Source: flightinternational.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

A three-year rebuilding effort has emerged after the costly collapse of the US Army-led Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) programme. The need for a common sensor package spanning multiple intelligence disciplines remains unchanged, but the search for a suitable airborne platform starts anew.

Lessons from the failure of Lockheed Martin’s ACS system – based on the overwhelmed Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet – have at least narrowed the options for selecting the aircraft type that is to succeed the army’s de Havilland Canada RC-7 Aerial Reconnaissance Low and Beech RC-12 Guardrail, plus the navy’s Lockheed EP-3 Aries II.

Lockheed’s contract has been terminated for convenience after an army expenditure of $200 million. The contractor is allowed to recoup additional expenses under the contract terms, but these are expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

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