Leidos and L3Harris Technologies revealed their partnership for the US Army’s Theater Level High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne – Signals Intelligence (ATHENA-S) proposal, July 25.
Leidos and L3Harris Technologies have joined forces to provide two enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft in support of the ATHENA-S program.
Their collaboration aims to meet the program’s requirements for a new airborne platform with a larger payload capacity, improved endurance, and increased standoff range.
The companies will undertake the modification of two Bombardier Global 6500 jets, equipping them with radar, electronic, and communications intelligence capabilities to fulfill ATHENA-S’s objectives.
These specially equipped aircraft are designed to support US Army missions within the US European Command area of responsibility and to bridge the gap between the Army’s medium- and high-altitude ISR aircraft fleet.
With the ability to fly at higher operating altitudes and deploy next-generation sensor technology, ATHENA-S seeks to provide increased range, greater endurance, more capacity for larger payloads, and enhanced standoff ranges.
“The Leidos-L3Harris team focuses each of our companies’ extensive and diverse talents to achieve mission success with ATHENA-S,” said Tim Freeman, Leidos senior vice president and Airborne Solutions Operations Manager.
“With our combined integration, investment, engineering and design expertise, we look forward to producing a highly-configurable platform with more ISR capabilities to create an operational picture of the battlefield. The Leidos-L3Harris team is excited to deliver a decision advantage for the US and our allies,” added Freeman.
Leidos presently operates two Leidos Special Mission Aircraft for US Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance Targeting and Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System in support of US European Command, while L3Harris manages a Bombardier jet for Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System, and is involved in Phase 2 of the Army’s Multi-Domain Sensing System program for High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System.
