Icarus Aerospace today introduced TAV, a clean-sheet aircraft that is a force-multiplier solution for the world's security and armed forces. The highly customisable, twin-turboprop TAV -Tactical Air Vehicle - is multi-role capable aircraft, with a rugged, versatile, and technologically advanced design.

"We've developed TAV to be in alignment with latest international military armed overwatch and persistent presence requirements and challenges. The aircraft platform defines a niche of its own and excels in addressing all existing and future daily threats facing our troops, security forces and our world," said Marko Ivankovic, Senior Product Development Manager and Flight Test Engineer for Icarus Aerospace.

In its baseline configuration, TAV will deploy with two crew in a tandem cockpit that features latest avionics configuration with sensor fusion and network centric capabilities. With a planned payload of 8,000 pounds, TAV will have an unrefueled endurance of 6 1/2 hours at its jet-like high-speed cruise.

Designed from the outset to be optionally-piloted, TAV can utilise its innovative software, avionics and systems to meet a wide variety of mission requirements, including battlefield management, communication relay, aerial refueling, re-arm & re-supply and medivac - with crew, remotely piloted or as a fully autonomous system.

TAV is the first in a family of specialised aircraft, including WASP, a mission-oriented version, focused on Close-Air Support (CAS), Maritime & Coastal Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare, and surveillance, and BRANTA, a long endurance, high-altitude optionally-piloted/unmanned combat air vehicle (OPV/UCAV).

"We are now moving TAV into its next stage of development, to ensure that Icarus Aerospace has the financial resources to bring our exciting new program to fruition," said Ivankovic.