Editing AAI RQ-7 Shadow (section)

====Armed Shadow====
On 19 April 2010 the Army issued a "solicitation for sources sought" from defense contractors for a munition for the Shadow system with a deadline for proposals due no later than 10 May 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c31bcaaeabb86e6b9a29f250aaed2973&tab=core&_cview=0 |title=FedBizOpss.gov, Solicitation# W31P4Q-10-R-0142, 19 April 2010 |access-date=7 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428055137/https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c31bcaaeabb86e6b9a29f250aaed2973&tab=core&_cview=0 |archive-date=28 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although no specific munition has been chosen yet, some possible munitions include the [[Raytheon]] [[Pyros (bomb)|Pyros bomb]], the [[General Dynamics]] 81&nbsp;mm 4.5&nbsp;kg (10-pound)<ref name=gary81>[http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/mortar/81mm.html "81mm Mortar Ammunition And Fuzes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611060928/http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/mortar/81mm.html |date=11 June 2012 }} ''Gary's U.S. Infantry Weapons Reference Guide'', 10 May 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/uvonline/general-dynamics-demonstrates-precision-strike-capability-for-tactical-uavs-with-81mm-air-dropped-guided-mortar/6032/ "General Dynamics demonstrates precision strike capability for Tactical UAVs with 81&nbsp;mm air-dropped guided mortar"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717063750/http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/uvonline/general-dynamics-demonstrates-precision-strike-capability-for-tactical-uavs-with-81mm-air-dropped-guided-mortar/6032/ |date=17 July 2011 }} ''Unmanned Vehicles Magazine Online'', 6 April 2010.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Mortars-from-Aircraft-The-Shadow-Knows-05226/|title=Arming RQ-7 UAVs: The Shadow Knows…|date=26 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226045733/http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Mortars-from-Aircraft-The-Shadow-Knows-05226/|archive-date=2017-02-26|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref> air-dropped guided mortar, as well as the QuickMEDS system for delivering medical supplies to remote and stranded troops.

The Army subsequently slowed work, and the Marine Corps then took the lead on arming the RQ-7 Shadow. Raytheon has conducted successful flight tests with the [[Small Tactical Munition]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/12/18/351080/usmc-seeks-to-arm-shadow-fast-and-without-us-army-help.html|access-date=19 December 2010|title=USMC seeks to arm Shadow, fast and without US Army help|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221022159/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/12/18/351080/usmc-seeks-to-arm-shadow-fast-and-without-us-army-help.html|archive-date=21 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Lockheed Martin]] has tested the Shadow Hawk glide weapon from an RQ-7.<ref>[http://www.defense-unmanned.com/article/479/shadow-uav-launches-shadow-hawk-munition.html "Lockheed Martin's Shadow Hawk Munition Launched from Shadow UAS for the First Time"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322191735/http://www.defense-unmanned.com/article/479/shadow-uav-launches-shadow-hawk-munition.html |date=22 March 2014 }} ''Defense Unmanned'', 1 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.</ref> On 1 November 2012, General Dynamics successfully demonstrated their guided 81&nbsp;mm Air Dropped Mortar, with three launches at {{cvt|7,000|ft|m}} hitting within seven meters of the target grid.<ref>[http://www.suasnews.com/2012/11/19483/general-dynamics-us-army-team-on-tactical-uas/ ADM test] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105062256/http://www.suasnews.com/2012/11/19483/general-dynamics-us-army-team-on-tactical-uas/ |date=5 November 2012 }} – SuasNews.com, 1 November 2012</ref>

As of August 2011, the Marine Corps has received official clearance to experiment with armed RQ-7s, and requires AAI to select a precision munition ready for deployment.<ref>Trimble, Stephen. [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/08/17/360838/auvsi-marine-corps-experiments-with-armed-shadow.html AUVSI: Marine Corps experiments with armed Shadow] ''[[Flight International]]'', 17 August 2011</ref> AAI was awarded $10 million for this in December 2011, and claims a weapon has already been fielded by the Shadow.<ref name=rqbomb>Trimble, Stephen. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/missed-targets-prompt-us-marine-corps-to-arm-unmanned-shadows-366827/ Missed Targets Prompted US Marine Corps to Arm Shadows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116155656/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/missed-targets-prompt-us-marine-corps-to-arm-unmanned-shadows-366827/ |date=16 January 2012 }} ''[[Flight International]]'', 12 January 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.</ref><ref name=uasv2>[http://www.uasvision.com/2012/01/05/aai-gets-66m-contracts-for-weapons-and-laser-designators-on-shadow/ AAI Gets $66M Contracts for Weapons and Laser Designators on Shadow] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210200805/http://www.uasvision.com/2012/01/05/aai-gets-66m-contracts-for-weapons-and-laser-designators-on-shadow/ |date=10 February 2012 }} ''UAS Vision'', 5 January 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.</ref> In 2014, Textron launched the [[Lightweight Multirole Missile#FFLMM/Fury|Fury]] precision weapon from a Shadow 200.<ref>Kesselman, Scott. "[http://www.auvsi.org/HigherLogic/UI/WebServiceControls/2492014textron Textron Fury Missile Successfully Fired from Tactical UAS] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140928104114/http://www.auvsi.org/HigherLogic/UI/WebServiceControls/2492014textron |date=28 September 2014 }}" ''AUVSI'', 24 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.</ref>

By May 2015, the Marine Corps had run out of funding for weaponizing the RQ-7, and the Army had shown little interest in continuing the effort.  The Army's stance is that the Shadow's primary capability is persistent surveillance, while there are many other ways to drop bombs on targets and adding that to the Shadow would add weight and decrease endurance.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/auvsi-army-outlines-plans-to-re-engine-rq-7-411966/ Army outlines plans to re-engine RQ-7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509034325/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/auvsi-army-outlines-plans-to-re-engine-rq-7-411966/ |date=9 May 2015 }} – Flightglobal.com, 5 May 2015</ref>