• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2019: Flying Sea Glider programme nears the end

  2nd May 2019

  A US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) programme to explore the technological feasibility of a swing-role UAV/UUV platform will enter flight and underwater tests in the …

• Naval Warfare

  AUVSI 2019: Unmanned technology driving naval change

  30th April 2019

  With the US Navy (USN) looking to spend up to $1 billion in the procurement and utilisation of unmanned maritime systems in the coming years, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  The future of DARPA's CODE

  19th April 2019

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has seen strong interest from military and industrial operators in its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE) …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems extends DARPA Air C2 deal

  20th March 2019

  BAE Systems has won a deal with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to further develop autonomous software for air mission planning, with …

• Digital Battlespace

  US programme to beat adversary's ‘formidable’ capabilities

  17th March 2019

  A US government agency will award $45.5 million for development of new technologies able to coordinate a future autonomous army of unmanned air and ground …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy eyes using UUVs to protect Columbia submarines

  1st March 2019

  The US Navy is examining how it could use unmanned undersea vehicles to protect its manned ballistic missile submarines, according to a key service official. …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS Mission Module programme progresses

  30th January 2019

  The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules programme successfully completed the integration testing of two unmanned systems aboard USS Independence on 14 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA’s advancements in hypersonic time travel

  7th February 2019

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is investigating advances in materials that could allow hypersonic vehicles to travel through Earth’s atmosphere for longer …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Nine teams to participate in DARPA’s STIX

  25th January 2019

  Nine teams have qualified to take part in the SubT Integration Exercise (STIX) in preparation for the Circuits Stage of the SubT Challenge later in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to support DARPA’s Blackjack programme

  16th January 2019

  Airbus Defense and Space has received a contract from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a satellite bus in support of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aquabotix to support US Navy project

  7th January 2019

  UUV Aquabotix has received a contract to support a US Navy project, the company announced on 3 January. The project will involve further development of …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy 2019: Raytheon continues development of MCM, ASW packages

  16th January 2019

  Raytheon is pushing ahead with its MCM and subsurface surveillance programmes for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and other US Navy platforms, with several recent …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems receives RFMLS contract from DARPA

  30th November 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $ 9.2 million contract from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Radio Frequency Machine Learning System …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA announces AI Next colloquium

  20th November 2018

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced on 16 November that it will be holding an Artificial Intelligence Colloquium (AIC) in March 2019 to …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: US military eyes small, distributed EW systems

  29th November 2018

  The US Department of Defense (DoD) wants to develop small, distributed electronic warfare (EW) platforms that can safely operate closer to contested areas than large, …

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 ...