Navy Moves to Integrate Mine-Countermeasure Sensors on Aerosonde Drones
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The U.S. Navy is preparing engineering work to integrate mine-countermeasure sensor payloads onto Textron Systems’ Aerosonde unmanned aircraft, according to a Naval Air Systems Command presolicitation notice published September 16. NAVAIR plans sole-source modifications to existing Aerosonde task orders under Basic Ordering Agreement N0001921G0008, covering non-recurring engineering and MCM sensor-payload integration as well as transition and mobilization support for both shipboard and land-based UAS assets. The work may run for up to 12 months after modification award. The notice does not identify the MCM sensor, Aerosonde variant, mine types to be addressed or a deployment schedule, and it does not establish that an MCM-equipped Aerosonde is operational. NAVAIR says Textron is the only source able to perform the work without unacceptable delay because it controls the Aerosonde technical data, integration drawings and flight-control software
Aerosonde is being prepared for a new mine-countermeasure sensor mission
The Navy's latest contracting notice moves the small unmanned aircraft beyond its established ISR role by funding the engineering needed to integrate mine-countermeasure sensor payloads.
Aerosonde's mission envelope is widening
Persistent maritime ISR, imagery, radar, AIS, communications relay and other sensor missions from ships and land sites.
NAVAIR discloses engineering work specifically for integration of mine-countermeasure sensor payloads.
Integration, airworthiness work and any subsequent testing would have to occur before an operational MCM capability could be established.
Aerosonde has operated from Navy expeditionary sea bases, guided-missile destroyers and littoral combat ships. NAVAIR said in December 2025 that more than a dozen Navy ships carried ISR-services UAS, including the MQ-19 Aerosonde and ScanEagle.
The notice does not disclose whether the payload uses optical, laser, radar, magnetic, multispectral or another sensing method, and it does not identify which Aerosonde configuration will carry it.
From Maritime ISR to Mine-Countermeasure Integration
| Program Element | What Is Publicly Established | What Is New | What Is Not Yet Disclosed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 Contract Action | NAVAIR intends sole-source modifications to existing Aerosonde task orders under BOA N0001921G0008. | The scope expressly includes non-recurring engineering and integration of mine-countermeasure sensor payloads. | Modification value, individual task orders and award date have not been stated in the presolicitation notice. | Planned Modification |
| MCM Sensor | The Navy describes the equipment only as MCM sensor payloads. | Mine-countermeasure sensing becomes a specifically identified Aerosonde integration requirement. | Sensor manufacturer, sensing method, payload weight, power demand, mine type and performance have not been disclosed. | Undisclosed |
| Operating Base | Aerosonde already operates from both expeditionary land sites and ships. | The new action also calls for operational transitions and mobilization support for both shipboard and land-based assets. | NAVAIR does not identify which ship, land site or fleet will receive the MCM-related work. | Sea + Land |
| Shipboard Experience | Aerosonde has supported ESBs, DDGs and LCS platforms. Textron said by November 2024 that Aerosonde support had expanded to 11 Navy ships. | Mine warfare could become another payload mission for an air vehicle already integrated into surface-ship operations. | The notice does not say which existing shipboard installation will participate in MCM integration or testing. | Mature Maritime Base |
| Engineering Period | Existing Aerosonde task orders already support operational ISR services. | The modification work may run for as long as 12 months after award. | The notice does not divide those 12 months into design, ground-test, flight-test or shipboard-test phases. | Up To 12 Months |
| Sole-Source Rationale | Textron is Aerosonde's original equipment manufacturer, designer and developer. | NAVAIR says access to proprietary technical data, integration drawings and flight-control software is required for the work. | The notice does not disclose the engineering price or a detailed technical work breakdown. | OEM Required |
| Previous Navy Airborne MCM | The Navy has already pursued airborne mine sensing with systems such as the MH-60S-mounted ALMDS and the MQ-8C Fire Scout SMAMD prototype. | Aerosonde would move MCM sensor integration into a much smaller unmanned-aircraft class. | Nothing in the September notice establishes that Aerosonde will use ALMDS, SMAMD or any derivative of those systems. | Relevant Precedent |
| Existing LCS MCM Architecture | Navy MCM packages already combine MH-60S aircraft, MCM unmanned surface vehicles, AQS-20 sonar and other systems. | A small UAS sensor could potentially add another airborne sensing layer if integration proceeds. | The Navy has not said how Aerosonde would connect to, replace or complement the existing MCM mission package. | Role Not Defined |
| Operational Capability | Aerosonde itself is operational in Navy ISR service. | Engineering work is being prepared for an additional mission payload. | There is no public evidence in this notice that an MCM-equipped Aerosonde has been fielded or declared operational. | Not Yet Established |
In 2022 the MQ-8C Fire Scout demonstrated the Single System Multi-Mission Airborne Mine Detection prototype, an optical sensor suite intended to detect and localize mines and obstacles. The new Aerosonde notice does not identify that system as its payload.
Textron's current family ranges from the 93-pound Mk. 4.7 fixed-wing aircraft to the 215-pound Mk. 4.8 VTOL. That makes sensor mass, electrical power, cooling, aerodynamics and airworthiness central questions once the MCM payload is identified.
Aerosonde Payload Mass Fit Explorer
Enter a hypothetical sensor weight to compare it with Textron's published maximum payload capacities across the Aerosonde family.
Mk. 4.7 Fixed Wing
Mk. 4.7 VTOL
Mk. 4.8 Fixed Wing
Mk. 4.8 VTOL
A 20-pound hypothetical payload is below the published maximum payload mass of all four configurations.
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