"The U.S. Marine Corps has indefinitely extended service for its autonomous K-MAX aircraft, an unmanned cargo helicopter that can fly with or without a pilot and deliver up to 6,000-pounds of supplies to forward-positioned soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan, service officials said.
Two K-MAX helicopters have been in Afghanistan hauling cargo since November 2011 in response to a request from ground commanders.
There is no formal requirement as of yet, and no official decision has been made regarding its future and the potential for it to become a program of record.
"This is fielded as a military utility assessment that has operational value in theater. So what we do is on every flight we bring data back and put together reports to Marine Corps leadership," said Eric Pratson, team lead for the cargo UAS program.
The K-MAX has transported a range of supplies from mine-roller equipment to generators to ammunition to medical supplies and even mail, said Navy Capt. Patrick Smith, program manager for the Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air Systems.
So for the record haul for the K-MAX was 30,000 pounds over six mission for one day, officials said…"
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