The U.S. Navy PMA 263 has awarded Kraus Hamdani Aerospace the contract to deliver its K1000ULE solar-electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS, set to be deployed by the United States Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System. This marks the Navy’s first procurement of a 100% solar-electric Group 2 UAS, positioning the K1000ULE at the forefront of the next generation of defense capabilities.

The selection of the K1000ULE was the result of an evaluation process that assessed the UAS’s advanced capabilities at a government testing facility, managed by the University of Maryland UAS Research and Operations Center. The evaluation highlighted the K1000ULE’s maneuverability, reduced logistic and transportation needs, minimal crew requirements, silent operation, extended airborne endurance, VTOL capabilities, durability, and day and night operational readiness. Additionally, the UAS demonstrated compliance with the SOCOM Modular Payload (MOD Payload) standard and showcased remarkable Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and Target Acquisition capabilities.

The U.S. Marine Corps will utilize the K1000ULE to enhance their capacity for ISR operations, streamlining these tasks to be simpler, faster, and more economical, with the primary goal of preserving lives. The UAS will equip the Navy with advanced long-range communication capabilities, ensuring continuous coverage in denied and contested environments.

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s CEO, Fatema Hamdani, expressed enthusiasm about the contract, noting, “Today, we embark on a new era of defense technology where autonomy and artificial intelligence play increasingly vital roles. The Navy’s initiative to explore the possibilities with the K1000ULE affirms their trust in our solutions to meet their evolving needs.”