• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment raises loitering munition stakes

  5th October 2020

  UAS manufacturer AeroVironment has released a new extended range variant of the company's Switchblade loitering munition series — designated Switchblade 600.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USN chooses contractor support for MK18 UUV upgrades

  25th August 2020

  Upgrades for the MK18 family of UUV systems operated by the USN are being supported by California-based Areté Associates, under a $9.75 million integration services …

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Swedish Navy eyes unmanned to augment subsurface capability

  8th September 2020

  Unmanned systems could become a key force multiplier for the Royal Swedish Navy in a bid to shore up hull numbers and add new capabilities …

• Digital Battlespace

  DoD looks beyond AlphaDogfight

  10th September 2020

  The DoD intends to conduct real-world dogfights between AI-controlled aircraft and crewed fighters in 2024. Speaking on 9 September during the DoD Artificial Intelligence Symposium …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dynetics claims ‘major step forward’ with latest Gremlins test

  27th August 2020

  After a delay due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Leidos subsidiary Dynetics successfully tested a second X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle (GAV) plus airborne recovery system in …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon continues MAD-FIRES work

  1st September 2020

  Raytheon is to perform Phase 3 tasks for DARPA on the Multi-Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System (MAD-FIRES) programme, under a $32.49 million contract …

• Training

  AI proves its mettle in AlphaDogfight

  21st August 2020

  The third and final competition in the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) AlphaDogfight Trials has now taken place to evaluate how AI algorithms …

• Digital Battlespace

  S2 to work on EM spectrum receiver for USN

  27th August 2020

  DARPA has selected S2 Corporation to build and demonstrate a prototype broadband electro-magnetic (EM) spectrum receiver system. A $9 million contract from the Naval Information …

• Land Warfare

  US Army researches new materials to enhance firepower of weapon systems

  8th September 2020

  Aware of the relevance of improving the firepower of its weapon systems, the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is running …

• Digital Battlespace

  Blue Bear adds SATCOM to swarming C2 system

  11th August 2020

  UK technology company Blue Bear Systems Research has worked with Inmarsat and Cobham to add a SATCOM capability to its Centurion multi-domain swarming C2 system. ‘We have …

• Digital Battlespace

  GeoSpectrum claims breakthrough with compact underwater acoustic range

  11th August 2020

  Canada-based GeoSpectrum Technologies, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, on 10 August launched its C-Bass family of compact Very Low Frequency (VLF) long-range acoustic underwater transducers. …

• Defence Notes

  China, computer chips and supply chains

  20th August 2020

  On 14 September 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched an audacious unconventional military attack on critical infrastructure facilities in Saudi Arabia, at Abqaiq and …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA picks industry partner for SemaFor

  24th July 2020

  DARPA has enlisted industry support to defend against large-scale, automated disinformation attacks.  The agency on 23 July awarded SRI International a $10.99 million contract under …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed gains OpFires contract modification

  20th July 2020

  Lockheed Martin has received a contract modification from DARPA to support Phase 3 of the Operational Fires (OpFires) Integrated Weapon System programme. The $7.45 million …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA machine-learning programme includes audit software

  14th July 2020

  BAE Systems has reached a software delivery milestone in the Competency-Aware Machine Learning (CAML) programme for DARPA. MindfuL software from BAE Systems (developed in collaboration …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  LongShot [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement According to DARPA, the objective of the LongShot programme is "to disrupt the paradigm of air combat operations by demonstrating an unmanned ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-Knifefish

  The Bluefin-21 UUV is being developed for the Surface Mine Countermeasure UUV (SMCM UUV) programme to equip the USN’s Littoral Combat Ships. 

• Sea: procedural training

  UUV Training Simulator

  The Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Training Simulator teaches users how to operate and control a UUV, specifically with reference to mine hunting. The UUV is ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  LongShot

  The LongShot is a developmental air-launched platform intended to increase the survivability of friendly crewed aircraft. In February 2021, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) ...

• Military - UUVs

  Echo Voyager

  In March 2016, Boeing Defense, Space & Security introduced the Echo Voyager UUV. It is a 51ft (15.5m) long vehicle that can operate autonomously for ...

• Sea: procedural training

  2 Sigma Digital Tutor

  A Digital Tutor that is designed to outperform schoolhouse instructors, bringing CTC training to a broad spectrum of sailors. Specifications include improving student outcomes for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  XRQ-73

  The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) unveiled the flying design of the XRQ-73 in June 2024. The aircraft has been developed under the  Series ...

• Major networking projects

  CHAIN

  The Compartmented High Assurance Information Network (CHAIN) is described as a robust architecture that improves interoperability of IT systems among the military services and security ...

• Riptide Mk II

  At Oceanology International 2018, Riptide Autonomous Solutions presented its second-generation micro-UUV – the Mk II. The Riptide Mk II UUV has a maximum speed of ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  UUV-3500

  The Klein UUV-3500 side-scan sonar family is composed of the mid-depth (3000m) high-resolution, low-power, dual-frequency and the deep (6000m) variant which is a higher power ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  XV-24A LightningStrike

  The XV-24A LightningStrike, developed by Aurora Flight Sciences and its partners Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, was a project for a tilt-wing UAV powered by an electric-distributed ...

• Military - UUVs

  Iver

  Iver is a family of commercially developed, low-cost AUVs designed to carry out coastal applications such as sensor development, surveying, research and environmental monitoring. 

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...

• Military - UUVs

  Talisman L

  The Talisman Littoral (L) UUV uses the mission system of the larger Talisman M and repackages it into a two-man portable system for port and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Shrike

  The Shrike was a micro, portable, rugged VTOL-capable UAV designed for frontline day/night ISR.  Development of the Shrike began in 2008 under a $4.6-million contract from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  X-61A Gremlin

  Dynetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, is developing the X-61A Gremlin. This low-cost swarming drone can be outfitted with different payloads, launched by a mothership, recovered ...