Griffon Outlaw Mimics Bad Guys
Griffon Aerospace (Booth #1119), known for making durable winged aircraft — such as the dual-engine, harsh-weather SeaHunter on display — has begun providing another UAS to the U.S. Army that will, one day, likely be intentionally shot down.
The Outlaw G2E, also on display this week, runs intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and “acts like the bad guys,” says CEO and Chief Technology Officer Larry French, “to train our soldiers to fight against enemy UAVs.
“The Russians are using UAVs very effectively in the Ukraine, and we’re trying to make sure we know how to defeat those UAVs,” French says. “You’ve gotta figure out how they’re there, and then how to take them out. We’re just figuring out how to do that.”
The G2E isn’t new — it’s been around since 2010 — but this year Griffon has started supplying surrogates to the U.S. Armed Forces. The UAS manufacturer sells about 30 craft a month.
Also on display is SeaHunter, to be ceremoniously transferred to the University of Alaska Fairbanks this week. Made for Arctic conditions, the winged craft has two engines, dual alternators, a heated air-data system and de-icing coating.
