ScanEagle, the lightweight, long-endurance UAV deployed from U.S. Navy ships and by allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, now can be upgraded to the heavier NightEagle configuration with improved infrared sensor for night operations.
 
Boeing subsidiary Insitu, of Bingen, WA, described the NightEagle in a teleconference with reporters Nov. 10. The upgrade changes out the current DRS Technologies E6000 uncooled, long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera with a cooled, mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensor provided by FLIR Systems. This “MWIR 1” capability will be replaced by next April with a next-generation “MWIR 2” sensor from DRS Technologies.
 
The conversion from the 44-pound (maximum takeoff weight) ScanEagle to NightEagle can be accomplished in the field in about two hours. The NightEagle is distinguished by a third tail fin and larger nose containing the IR imager.
 
Insitu said the MWIR sensor provides imagery equivalent to ScanEagle’s electro-optic daylight imagery, and is preferable for surveillance in humid environments or longer standoff distances. The LWIR is preferred for imaging through battlefield smoke and dust.
 
“The current long-wave IR capability that we employ does not provide the quality in terms of the resolution of the imagery that we provide the customers and we’ve had a continual request by our customer base to improve the night capability. That’s the genesis of the NightEagle,” said Eric Edsall, Insitu’s International Unmanned Aircraft Systems expert. “It’s a pretty impressive increase in capability,” he added. “To get a cooled, mid-wave IR capability onto an air vehicle the size of ScanEagle is an engineering accomplishment we’re pretty proud of.”
 
Flight tests of the modified ScanEagle with a prototype midwave infrared (MMIR) camera and inertially stabilized Alticam Vision Corp. turret began in January this year, followed by field trials in April. That month, Insitu was awarded a $30 million contract from the Canadian government to provide UAV services using ScanEagle in support of Canadian forces operations in Afghanistan, with an option to upgrade to the NightEagle capability by the end of this year or first quarter of 2010. A similar contract with the U.S. Special Operations Command followed in May. Insitu also is negotiating for NightEagle service with the Australian military.
 
The NightEagle variant entered production in July, and there currently are 25 fielded systems, Insitu said.