– Insitu, a Boeing Company, is now leveraging Proliferated-Low Earth Orbit (P-LEO) Satellite Communication (SATCOM) control for its Integrator Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS). This capability enables Integrator to fly up to 2,000 Nautical Miles (NM) point-to-point with 27.5 hours of endurance, the longest range/endurance of any small UAS in its class.
Integrator with P-LEO SATCOM capability can be controlled from anywhere in the world. This new capability adds another SATCOM option for Integrator, alongside current Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) SATCOM on Integrator, providing end users with even more options for Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) control.
“We are excited to bring this game-changing capability to the battle-tested Integrator UAS platform,” said Insitu Vice President of Engineering, Programs and Flight, Justin Pearce. “With a range of 2,000 nautical miles, Integrator can easily fly from Guam to Okinawa in one sortie and operate from small naval vessels anywhere in the vast INDOPACOM theater. This is the type of capability Combatant Commanders have been waiting for, and Integrator offers a lower cost, attritable, persistent long range ISR option when flying large Group 5 UAS is too risky or too expensive,” he added.
Integrator’s P-LEO SATCOM kit
Integrator’s new P-LEO SATCOM control capability is available for approved customers and can operate with the Flying Launch and Recovery System (FLARES) Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) kit, which enables launch and recovery from small ship decks in gusty winds and heavy seas, as well as from expeditionary land sites. Unlike tail-sitter aircraft, FLARES VTOL system does not need operators to hold the UAS on launch or catch the UAS on recovery, ensuring maximum safety.
Integrator with P-LEO launches from Flying Recovery and Launch System (FLARES) VTOL kit
P-LEO does not occupy any of the six currently available payload bays, ensuring that Integrator’s 1,000+ multi-intelligence configurations remain available to customers. Best-in-class payload options include communications relay, Electronic Warfare (EW), multi-spectral optics, AI-assisted wide-area search, and kinetics. With 40lb of field-swappable payloads across six bays, it is the most flexible and capable UAS in its class.
Photo by Chief Petty Officer John Fischer, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet
Integrator is battle-proven, with thousands of combat hours in the most challenging conditions including GPS-contested airspace and extreme climates. It is currently being further weatherized for operations in the Arctic and High North.
Photo by Chief Petty Officer John Fischer, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet
Insitu’s current UAS product line includes ScanEagle and Integrator, both VTOL-capable with FLARES. Insitu UAS offer a full suite of command, control, and data processing solutions including INEXA Control, TacitView, Catalina, and an open architecture Common Ground Control Systems.
Top Photo: Integrator with P-LEO in flight
Source: Insitu