AAI Corporation is an American defense company. While known for manufacturing firearms, AAI is mostly predominantly known for producing other defense-related products and aircraft.
History[]
AAI was founded as Aircraft Armaments Inc. in 1950 by six specialists. The company was renamed AAI in the late 1950s. AAI's parent company, United Industrial Corporation (UIC) was founded at the turn of the 20th century as Hayes Body Works; it was renamed many years later and admitted into the Stock Trading Exchange in 1954. AAI also partnered with Škoda in 1994 to create the Electric Transit Company, to manufacture trolleys. This partnership lasted until 2004. AAI was acquired by Textron in 2007.
Weapons[]
AAI has made a few firearms over the years. Various firearms produced by the company include the following:
- SPIW - A flechette-firing assault rifle submitted for the Special Purpose Individual Weapon program; it was considered for development but ultimately never entered production.
- XM19 - A flechette-firing assault rifle that AAI developed after the end of the SPIW program under a low profile.
- XM70 - A prototype flechette-firing assault rifle that was considered to be a contender for the Future Rifle System program; the SBR was chosen instead. The XM70 failed to perform and only fired six rounds before failing.
- SBR - A flechette-firing assault rifle firing a small 4mm dart chosen for the Future Rifle Program.
- SMG - An 18.5mm calibre scimitar rocket firing SMG/Personal Defence Weapon concept.
- CAWS - A shotgun submitted for the Close Assault Weapon System; it used SCMITR shotgun shells.
- ACR - A flechette-firing assault rifle developed for the Advanced Combat Rifle program to replace the aging M16 rifle; the project fell through and none of the 4 ACR contenders were chosen.
- AAI OICW - A prototype entrant for the Objective Individual Combat Weapon Program.
- Quiet Special Purpose Revolver - A Smith & Wesson Model 29-based 10mm "silent" revolver that was born out of US Army requirements to have a dedicated close combat weapon for use in tunnels.
- LSAT light machine gun - Modular light machine gun that can fire caseless rounds.
- LSAT rifle - Prototype battle rifle that can fire caseless rounds.
- M203 grenade launcher - Single-shot, breech-loaded grenade launcher designed to fit under the barrel of an M16 rifle or M4 carbine.
Trivia[]
- AAI is known for making aircraft as well; AAI has made flight trainers for various military aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.