AeroVironment: Army Lifts Stop-Work Order on Protested Contract

By Colin Kellaher

AeroVironment has been given a green light to begin work under an Army contract potentially worth nearly $1 billion despite a competitor's protest of the award.

AeroVironment on Monday said the Army has lifted the stop-work order it issued on the contract to provide Switchblade "suicide" drones, and the Arlington, Va., drone and missile maker said it will proceed with fulfilling a $128 million delivery order issued under the contract.

AeroVironment, which in August announced the five-year contract with a ceiling value of $990 million to provide Switchblade "suicide" drones to the Army, earlier this month said a protest had been filed with the U.S. Government Accountability Office challenging the award, and that the Army had issued the stop-work order.

AeroVironment said the Army's lifting of the stop-work order doesn't affect the GAO's consideration of the protest. The company previously said it expects the GAO will issue a decision on the protest by Dec. 16.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 23, 2024 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)

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