The United States Marine Corps has placed a firm fixed-price order with AeroVironment valued at over $3.6 million, through an existing U.S. Army contract. The order, placed in March with an expected delivery date of April 27, 2012, was for AeroVironment’s RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft systems and initial spares packages.

Weighing in at 4.2 pounds, the RQ-11B Raven unmanned aircraft system is a hand-launched sensor platform designed to provide round-the-clock, real-time video imagery to a portable ground control station for missions ranging from reconnaissance to surveillance and target acquisition. U.S. armed forces currently use similar systems for tasks such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection. RQ-11B Raven systems generally consist of three aircraft, two ground control stations and spares.

According to Tom Herring, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, “The Raven system remains the cornerstone small UAS capability for the Marines and other military services, providing proven, reliable frontline situational awareness, anywhere and at any time.”