Karem Aircraft’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competitive prototype bid has received a big boost, with the addition of Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to its team.
FARA is the US Army’s proposed new armed scout aircraft, which will serve as a replacement for its retired fleet of Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warriors.
Karem has proposed a tilt-rotor concept for FARA and is touting its proprietary variable-speed rotor technology. The Southern California-based company was founded by Abraham Karem, who invented the Gnat 750 unmanned air vehicle (UAV), which evolved into the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator.
The company says its team will be boosted by Northrop’s manned and autonomous military aircraft development, system integration, production and support expertise. Northrop manufactures UAVs including the MQ-8 Fire Scout, RQ-4 Global Hawk and optionally manned Firebird. It also makes the fuselage for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Karem adds that it will also be aided by Raytheon’s systems architecture, mission equipment, and weapons capabilities. Raytheon makes a number of avionics, communications and sensor products, as well as munitions including the Talon laser-guided rocket, which is certified for use on the Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
Source: FlightGlobal