Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
QinetiQ North America (QNA) will refurbish and modernise the US Army’s TALON IV unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and build new Talon Man Transportable Robotic System (MTRS) Mk2 systems for the US Navy under two contracts announced on 18 December. Both contracts were signed in September.
The US Army’s TALON IV UGV fleet saw extensive deployment in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. QNA will perform upgrade work to modernise the fleet to allow for its continued deployment in current and future operations. The company will also provide spares to sustain fielded systems in current operations. This award, issued by the US Army's Contracting Command in Warren, Michigan, is worth over $17.5 million.
For the US Naval EOD Technology Division, QNA will provide new MTRS Mk2 systems, perform reconditioning and upgrade work, and provide spares for the fleet. This three-year Indefinite Duration, Indefinite Quantity contract could be worth up to $30 million.
Derek Daly, vice president of land systems, QNA, said: ‘QinetiQ North America is very proud of the role our robots play in providing lifesaving standoff for our warfighters when in harm's way. We are also grateful for the confidence shown by the US Military in the robust and reliable capabilities provided through our family of robots.’
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
The new Amorphous software is a universal controller that would allow a single operator to control a swarm of “thousands” of uncrewed systems, from drones to underwater platforms.
India UAV supplier ideaForge has launched the Netra 5 and Switch V2 drones at Aero India 2025, boasting of enhanced endurance, AI-driven autonomy and improved operational capabilities.
The UAV market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with innovations in technology and battlefield applications driving demand across military sectors. From the battlefields of Ukraine to NATO exercises and beyond, drones are transforming how wars are fought and supported.
Launched at AUSA in October, the company’s multi-stream video codec is attempting to bring a new lease of life to drone technology through its AI accelerator.
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.