Northrop Grumman Bat
The Northrop Grumman Bat is a medium-altitude unmanned air vehicle originally developed for use by the United States Armed Forces. Designed primarily as an intelligence "ISR" gathering tool, the Bat features 30 lb (14 kg) payload capacity that is unmatched in a 10 ft (3.0 m) wing span.
| Bat | |
|---|---|
| Role | Reconnaissance UAV |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Designer | Swift Engineering |
| First flight | 14 March 2006 |
Northrop Grumman received design and marketing rights from Swift Engineering to the Killer Bee, renamed the Bat in April 2009.
The Bat UAS was redeveloped to increase payload carrying capacity and extend range. The latest variant has a wing span of 14 feet (4.3 m) and can carry up to 100 pounds (45 kg) of payload. The Bat "14" UAS has a maximum altitude of 17,000 feet (5.2 km) above sea level and a maximum endurance of 18 hours.
On August 12, 2011, Northrop Grumman won a $26m contract for Sand Dragon B Tier II UAVs able to detect IEDs and roadside bombs.