US Air Force to fast-track capability development for GPS-denied operations
A C-17 Globemaster III flies over the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo: US Air Force)
Over the next 18 months, the air force’s research facility intends to accelerate the progress of resilient, autonomous solutions to support aircraft and helicopter deployments in DDIL overland and over-the-water scenarios.
The US Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory (AFRL) plans to accelerate the development of autonomous, long-range, resilient navigation capabilities over the next 18 months to improve the operation of aircraft and helicopters in overland and maritime GPS-denied, degraded, intermittent and limited (GPS-DDIL) environments.
Under the Tracking & Resilient Inertial-Derived Estimation for Naval Targets (TRIDENT) programme, the AFRL intends to conduct test flights and experimentation with rotary- and fixed-wing platforms in diverse conditions to collect data and inform the maturation of future solutions and technologies.
As part of this effort, the service awarded a US$2 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation]()
UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation
Despite the UK having the third-largest military UAV market in Europe, the country appears to be underinvesting in the capability relative to the size of its economy, particularly when compared with Baltic and eastern European states.
-
![Proteus: Forging the future of autonomous rotorcraft]()
Proteus: Forging the future of autonomous rotorcraft
As the home of British helicopters, Leonardo has worked with the UK Ministry of Defence for over a decade to advance technologies underpinning uncrewed rotorcraft. Today, in partnership with UK Defence Innovation and the Royal Navy, Leonardo is spearheading the next step in that journey: from remotely piloted technologies to fully autonomous systems.
-
![US Air Force to add new capabilities to its in-service and future T-7A fleet]()
US Air Force to add new capabilities to its in-service and future T-7A fleet
As the T-7A programme recovers from delays and rising costs, the USAF is signalling new opportunities in anti-jamming GPS, collision avoidance, advanced flight controls and pilot interface improvements.
-
![“Fifth-gen capability without the cost”: how autonomous strike can change the face of air warfare]()
“Fifth-gen capability without the cost”: how autonomous strike can change the face of air warfare
In Conversation… Armor Harris, Senior Vice President for Aircraft at Shield AI, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about why cost-effective autonomous aircraft are a game-changer for air forces worldwide, and the key roles played by VTOL and AI as enabling technologies.
