The US Department of Defense, Pentagon, on Monday informed regarding the modification of the contract for the purchase of ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).
“Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is awarded $10,826,778 for modification P00004 to a previously issued firm-fixed-price delivery order (N6833518F0050) placed against basic ordering agreement N68335-16-G-0046,” Pentagon said in a statement.
The statement further added “This modification provides for the procurement of 27 ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems, 37 payloads and spares in support of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.”
In a similar notification issued late in March this year, Pentagon had said “Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington, is being awarded a $47,037,076 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N6833518F0050) to a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-16-G-0046). This order provides for the procurement of eight ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), spares, support equipment, one logistician field service representative (FSR); 16 FSR operators to provide ScanEagle UAS technical services; two site surveys and site activation teams; and program management to sustain and operate the ScanEagle UAS in support of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan under a Building Partnership Capacity case.”
This comes as efforts are underway by the Afghan government and the international allies of Afghanistan to boost the capabilities of the Afghan national defense and security forces, specifically the Afghan Air Force.
The coalition forces officials in Afghanistan had earlier said that the size of the Afghan Air Force will be tripled over the next five years with the addition of new equipment and aircraft.
