Air Force looking to buy 12 commercial spy drones for partner nations

By Sara Sirota / August 27, 2020 at 2:37 PM

The Air Force is considering purchasing a dozen commercial-off-the-shelf, intelligence-gathering drones for unidentified international partners, according to a sources-sought notice released Wednesday.

The unmanned aircraft should be able to reach a range of 800 km and loiter at an altitude of 18,000 feet for at least five hours. They should also have a maximum endurance of 20 flying hours, self-defense systems and be capable of runway-free take-off and landing.

The Air Force is seeking providers who can offer “technically sound and economical non-developmental qualified solutions,” the notices states.

Responses are due Sept. 28.

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