[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Aurora Flight Sciences announced today it is offering Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA) globally for leasing or fee-for-service. This Aurora offering makes Centaur's unique capabilities available to customers seeking intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data without the burden of purchasing and operating a sensor platform. The Centaur OPA operates in a manned or unmanned configuration and provides access to all airspace with up to 24 hours of endurance and reduced logistics requirements.

Aurora launched this new global fee-for-service and leasing offering to capture the growing market for both manned and unmanned ISR capabilities. The ISR market increasingly demands both manned and unmanned solutions, and Centaur utilizes Aurora‘s advanced OPA technology to operate in a fully automated mode with or without a pilot and passenger on board. Additionally, Aurora’s OPA technology provides the versatility to operate in a manned mode for access to all airspace. Aurora's new easy-to-acquire fee-for-service solution offers this exceptionally versatile technology for manned and unmanned ISR operations around the globe under appropriate licensing arrangements.

Dr. John Langford, Aurora‘s CEO, commented, “This new Centaur leasing and fee-for-service offering brings the latest technology for manned and unmanned operations within reach of all prospective customers. This ’power-by-the-hour' service allows ISR, university and research customers a cost-effective way to conduct sensing operations.” Centaur is an OPA designed to carry many different payloads for manned and unmanned missions using the Diamond Aircraft DA42MNG as its base air vehicle. Aurora currently has several Centaur OPA aircraft in service in North America and Europe.