Boeing announced the company had received a $500,000 U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory contract for the first phase of a program to demonstrate miniature weapon technology for use on unmanned airborne vehicles (UAV).

"UAVs are increasingly called upon to perform strike operations, and this weapon technology is designed specifically for those missions," said Carl Avila, director of Boeing Phantom Works' Advanced Weapons and Missiles. "The concept behind this technology is designed to generate very low collateral damage and allows warfighters to engage a variety of targets, including those in a suburban terrain environment."

According to a news release announcing the contract award, Boeing will develop the system integration, seeker, avionics, guidance and control, and mission planning systems. Other key contractors and suppliers include KaZaK Composites Inc., Ensign Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company, Systima Technologies Inc. and Science Applications International Corporation SAIC). It is also being reported that Mustang Technology Group will provide several component options to the project.