L3 awarded contract to support Boeing's MQ-25 unmanned tanker for the US Navy

L3 Commercial Aviation has been awarded a contract by The Boeing Company to supply ADS-B surveillance, collision avoidance technology and flight data recorders for the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling program.

"L3 has a long history as a supplier on the Boeing tanker platforms," said Terry Flaishans, President of L3's Avionics division. "As they continue to make history with the first unmanned tanker, we are proud to supply the next-generation surveillance and flight data recorder solutions."

As part of this contract, ACSS (an L3 and Thales joint venture) will be supplying next-generation, enhanced ADS-B and collision avoidance technology that provides precise information about surrounding air traffic. As one of the first Traffic Collision and Avoidance Systems (TCAS) and ADS-B providers, it has been supplying the commercial and military aviation markets with advanced safety, communication, surveillance and antenna products for nearly 20 years, with over 75,000 units fielded.

L3 will also be supplying the flight data recorder, which is the smallest, lightest recorder available for military aircraft and uses the latest in recording technology.

The MQ-25 is the US Navy's first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft and is designed to provide a much-needed refueling capability. The contract supports Boeing's engineering and manufacturing development program to provide four MQ-25 aircraft to the US Navy for Initial Operational Capability by 2024.

"The MQ-25 program is vital because it will help the US Navy extend the range of the carrier air wing, and Boeing and our industry team are all-in on delivering this capability," said Dave Bujold, Boeing's MQ-25 Program Director. "The work we're doing is also foundational for the future of Boeing – where we're building autonomous systems from seabed to space."