Jump 20 UAS interim FTUAS capability

The US Army awarded AeroVironment an $8 million contract in August 2022 to develop and field the JUMP 20 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system as an interim capability for the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program, intended to replace the RQ-7B Shadow UAS in Brigade Combat Teams. The contract included one complete JUMP 20 system consisting of six air vehicles, ground data terminals, and ground control stations for operational deployment to a single brigade, with up to seven additional systems potentially available for acquisition. Strategically, this development contract represented a significant opportunity for AeroVironment to establish itself as a primary supplier for the Army's next-generation tactical drone fleet, though the company was subsequently eliminated from the program's second increment in May 2023.