Textron XM1100 Scorpion Completes Simulated Urban Environment Tests

(Wilmington, Mass., October 12, 2009) -- Textron Defense Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that its XM1100 Scorpion networked sensor and munitions platform has completed a test series focused on demonstrating the system's capabilities in urban environments.

Testing was held at Fort Benning, Georgia, where the Scorpion system performed in both day and nighttime scenarios. Fort Benning's military operations in urban terrain, or MOUT, site was used for the test series. This site accurately emulates a populated town including roadways, public areas and buildings, shops and residential buildings. The rigorous test series confirmed the Scorpion system's ability to accurately identify and engage targets in urban environments.


"Modern warfare demands solutions that are flexible enough to perform reliably in a broad range of environments," says Senior Vice President and General Manager Mark Catizone of Textron Defense Systems. "Our Scorpion system is designed to provide warfighters valuable force projection and minimize impact to non-combatants. This holds true in urban environments or against rugged terrain, whether mountainside, desert or wilderness. This flexibility gives warfighters added confidence in the face of danger, as well as enhanced capability to complete their missions."

This urban environment test series served as a precursor to an upcoming end-to-end, live-fire Scorpion test that will take place at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico later this year. This test is expected to culminate with the Scorpion system detecting, tracking and engaging multiple remote-controlled armored vehicles with live high-explosive munitions.

Source : Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT)