AAI Corporation RQ-7 Shadow

Summary

Description

The RQ-7 Shadow originated from the US Army's continued search for an effective battlefield UAS, following the cancellation of the Alliant RQ-6 Outrider. AAI Corporation, building upon their RQ-2 Pioneer, developed the Shadow 200 as a refined UAS. In late 1999, the army selected the Shadow 200 to meet its tactical UAS requirement, subsequently redesignating it as the RQ-7. The initial Army requirements specified a UAS powered by an aviation gasoline engine, capable of carrying an electro-optic/infrared imaging sensor turret, and possessing a maximum range of 31 miles (50 kilometers) with four hours of on-station endurance. The Shadow 200 demonstrator offered greater range than specified. Requirements also mandated that the UAS be able to land in an area equivalent to an athletic field.

The RQ-7 Shadow 200 features a high wing with a constant chord, a twin-tailboom empennage, and an inverted V-tail configuration. Propulsion is provided by a 38 bhp (28 kW) AR741-1101 Wankel engine from UAV Engines Ltd, driving a pusher propeller. Onboard electrical power is supplied by a GEC/Plessey 28-volt direct current 2 kW generator. Its primary payload is the Israeli Aircraft Industries POP300 Plug-in Optical Payload, which integrates a forward-looking infrared camera, a daytime TV camera with a selectable near-infrared filter, and a laser pointer.

The aircraft is equipped with fixed tricycle landing gear. Takeoffs are facilitated by a trailer-mounted pneumatic launcher, which accelerates the aircraft to 70 knots (130 km/h) over a distance of 40 feet (12 m). Landings utilize a Tactical Automatic Landing System developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation, comprising a ground-based micro-millimeter wavelength radar and an aircraft-mounted transponder. Recovery is accomplished using a tailhook and arresting wire system, connected to two disk brake drums, capable of stopping the aircraft within 170 feet (52 m). The ground control segment is transported on M1152-series Humvees. The aircraft themselves are transported in an Air Vehicle Transporter, while maintenance equipment is housed in Maintenance Section Multifunctional vehicles. Two Humvee-mounted Ground Control Stations command the aircraft during flight via Ground Data Terminals, which transmit commands and receive video and telemetry data.

The RQ-7B variant incorporates new wings of increased length, enhancing payload capacity to 45 kilograms (99 pounds). These new wings are designed to accommodate a communications relay package, enabling the aircraft to serve as a relay station. The RQ-7B airframe also includes wiring harnesses and software modifications to support IAI's POP300D payload, which features a laser designator for guiding laser-guided munitions. The lengthened wings are fitted with hardpoints intended for external munitions carriage. Potential munitions considered include the Raytheon Pyros bomb, the General Dynamics 81 mm 4.5 kg (10-pound) air-dropped guided mortar, and the QuickMEDS system designed for delivering medical supplies.

The RQ-7 Shadow has experienced extensive operational deployment, accumulating over 709,000 flight hours across more than 37,000 sorties by 2011. Operational use has primarily supported US Army and Army National Guard units in Iraq and Afghanistan. Operating conditions, particularly in Iraq, presented challenges such as heat and sand, contributing to engine failures and necessitating technical and procedural adaptations. In 2007, the United States Marine Corps commenced transitioning from the RQ-2 Pioneer to the RQ-7 Shadow, subsequently deploying it to Iraq and Afghanistan. Navy personnel were also integrated into Shadow platoons supporting Army brigades in Iraq. In mid-2014, RQ-7 Shadows were deployed to Baghdad to provide security for embassy personnel during Islamic State militant operations. The U.S. Marine Corps conducted its final RQ-7B launch during RIMPAC exercises before retiring the system in July 2018. Beyond the U.S. military, the Romanian Air Force operated Shadow 600 UAVs, deploying them to Iraq starting in 2003 for IMINT missions, during which three aircraft were lost in crashes. The Australian Army also deployed the Shadow in Afghanistan beginning in May 2012, following the replacement of their ScanEagle systems.

Main Variants:

• RQ-7A Shadow: The initial version of the Shadow 200 UAS, featuring a shorter wingspan and an endurance of 4 to 5.5 hours.

• RQ-7B Shadow: An improved variant with longer wings for increased fuel storage, enhanced avionics, and the ability to carry a communications relay package.

• Armed Shadow: An experimental version, primarily developed by the Marine Corps, equipped to carry precision munitions for offensive capabilities.

• Nightwarden: A larger, more capable version of the Shadow with a blended wing, longer endurance, and greater payload capacity for advanced sensor packages and SATCOM capabilities.

• Shadow 600: A scaled-up derivative of the RQ-2 Pioneer, featuring swept-back wings and a stronger Wankel engine, used by several nations, including Romania.

Technical specifications

All operators

Australia • Italy • Romania • Sweden • Turkey • United States