Israeli defense firm XTEND has signed an agreement with the US Department of Defense to supply hundreds of new Wolverine Gen2 drones to the US military.
The unmanned system will be used to protect ground troops, particularly on dangerous missions.
Made in the US, the Wolverine is a lightweight, versatile drone with lower power consumption than other small, unmanned systems.
It is designed to be operated by even those with no flight experience, performing remote tasks in complex environments.
“The Wolverine system was developed in direct response to the need of forces to conduct complex field and outdoor missions, while maintaining force protection, and without making contact with the enemy,” XTEND official Gadi Bar-Ner said.
The Wolverine Gen2 is powered by XTEND’s human-centric machine interface technology.
It features complete sensory awareness using the most advanced virtual and augmented reality technologies, as well as advanced machine learning flight algorithms.
The drone can perform various functions, including surveying enemy territory inside hard-to-reach indoor environments, payload delivery, and explosive ordnance disposal.
Bar-Ner explained that the unmanned system is already “combat-proven” and has been used “with great success” by the Israeli Defense Force in defending the country’s borders.
“For the first time, any user can operate a drone intuitively and without any prior training, giving forces complete autonomy in the field,” he said.
“We are proud of the close cooperation between XTEND, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and the US DoD – as part of which XTEND employs a team of US veterans – and look forward to it continuing.”
The acquisition of hundreds of Wolverine drones from XTEND is part of the US military’s increasing investments to bolster its fleet of unmanned aerial systems.
Earlier this month, the US Army said it is considering acquiring the Israeli-made Spike FireFly tactical mini-drone for troop protection in hostile environments.
The US Navy also successfully completed the first flight and maritime integration of a Textron Aerosonde drone aboard a guided missile destroyer.
The integration is expected to enhance the service’s maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
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