Quick Reaction Assessment
To augment the Marines’ ground and air logistics operations, the Navy recently completed a successful five-day Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA)
using the unmanned K-MAX helicopter developed by Lockheed Martin and
Kaman Aerospace. The QRA significantly advances the Navy’s plan to field
a cargo unmanned aerial system (UAS) for a six-month deployment in the
fall of 2011.
K-MAX Unmanned Helicopter
Lockheed Martin Corporation and Kaman Aerospace Corporation have
successfully transformed Kaman’s proven K-MAX® power lift helicopter
into an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capable of autonomous or remote
controlled cargo delivery. Its mission: battlefield cargo resupply for
the U.S. military.
The K-MAX UAS is a transformational technology for a fast-moving
battlefield that will enable Marines to deliver supplies either day or
night to precise locations without risk of losing life in the process.
The aircraft can fly at higher altitudes with a larger payload than any
other rotary wing UAS. With its four hook carousel, the K-MAX UAS can
also deliver more cargo to more locations in one flight
The team has flown the K-MAX UAS nearly 400 hours in autonomous mode
since joining forces in 2007. The rugged system can lift and deliver a
full 6,000 lbs of cargo at sea level and more than 4,000 pounds at
15,000 ft density altitude.
The K-MAX continues to exceed expectations as an unmanned platform.
The aircraft has met all unmanned milestones to date and continues to
excel in the commercial logging and firefighting industries. The
aircraft will remain optionally piloted for ease of National Airspace
Operations, occasional manned mission flexibility, ferry flights, rapid
integration of new mission equipment, and allow rapid return-to-service
activities.
The manned version of the K-MAX is used for repetitive lift
operations by commercial operators for the construction and logging
industries. To date, the fleet has accumulated more than 255,000 flight
hours since 1994.
