• Naval Warfare

  US Navy contracts Alaskan ReconCraft for new patrol boats

  25th April 2023

  Anchorage-based ReconCraft has been awarded a nearly $36 million contract to supply the US Navy with 12 40-ft patrol boats.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA RACER robotic vehicle programme approaches its second phase

  14th April 2023

  The agency is currently reviewing the results of the last RACER robotic vehicle autonomy experiment and will select partners for phase 2 in the coming weeks.

• Defence Notes

  BAE Systems harnesses strategic chaos to speed up defence planning

  24th April 2023

  BAE Systems FAST Labs has been contracted by DARPA to develop an autonomy-based system to assist with defence operational planning.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics sole awardee for second phase of DARPA’s LongShot UAV project

  7th March 2023

  Under LongShot, DARPA aims to increase the standoff range at which fighters can launch air-to-air weapons with an air-released UAV.

• Training

  Boeing partners with Shield AI on autonomous pilot programme

  17th March 2023

  The agreement between Boeing and Shield AI will explore autonomous systems implemented into existing and future aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  HAWC missile completes flight trials as focus turns to maturing hypersonic technology

  31st January 2023

  Completion of HAWC flight testing means the US has two viable hypersonic missile designs that can be matured into future programmes of record.

• Air Warfare

  DARPA X-plane with revolutionary controls hits new milestone

  24th January 2023

  The CRANE project exploring active-flow control technologies could contribute to developing extremely low-observable aircraft in the future.

• Defence Notes

  Why the US cannot overcome Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons

  19th April 2023

  As hypersonic weapons do not follow a ballistic trajectory and can fly at low altitudes in addition to manoeuvring en route to their target, they challenge existing US defence systems.

• Defence Notes

  How the Pentagon will use private capital to fund critical capabilities

  23rd March 2023

  The DoD has changed its structures and is been increasing efforts to facilitate access to loans by companies interested in working with artificial intelligence, advanced materials and semiconductors, biotechnology and quantum science.

• Naval Warfare

  USVs abound at NAVDEX 2023 as firms look to fill plethora of naval requirements

  23rd February 2023

  With navies across the globe feeling the pinch on budgets, forces are increasingly looking to uncrewed solutions to fill maritime requirements and increase their presence on the high seas.

• Training

  US Air Force AI-powered F-16 training jet takes the skies

  16th February 2023

  The reengineered artificial intelligence-driven, autonomous F-16 jet is fitted with an open system architecture and software that allows it to mimic the performance characteristic of other aircraft.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA/Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter goes pilotless for logistics and rescue missions

  7th November 2022

  Without pilots on board, the autonomous Black Hawk helicopter performed long-endurance medical resupply while navigating between mountain ranges.

• Digital Battlespace

  Software-defined technology is 'democratising' electronic warfare, says DARPA official

  27th October 2022

  Software-defined jammers and radars are reducing the cost of development to thousands of dollars and could force a pace of change that makes threat libraries obsolete.

• Defence Notes

  Why a true joint approach is vital for electronic warfare

  17th November 2022

  Speakers at last month's AOC convention highlighted the many barriers that still prevent full interoperability on electromagnetic spectrum operations, both within the US DoD and internationally.

• Air Warfare

  DARPA selects Lockheed Martin for ACE programme

  5th October 2022

  Lockheed Martin will develop full-scale experimentation platforms to implement Air Combat Evolution algorithms and technologies in this phase of the programme.

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 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) ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• Data links

  TTNT

  The Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) programme is intended to develop, evaluate and demonstrate reconfigurable, affordable, robust, interoperable and evolvable communications technologies to support emerging ...

• Air: UAS radar

  EchoFlight Airborne Radar

  The Echoflight is a small electronically-scanned UAS radar.  It provides long-range all-weather detection and tracking to allow users to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) ...

• Military UGVs

  Crusher

  The Crusher vehicle was designed by DARPA and the National Robotics Engineering Center to evaluate technologies, such as mobility and autonomy systems, applicable to the UGVs ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance radar

  FORESTER

  The Foliage Penetration (FOPEN) Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Tracking and Engagement Radar (FORESTER) is an airborne radar system that provides stand-off, persistent, wide-area surveillance for situational awareness ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Fleet Command

  Fleet Command was developed by Sonalysts, released in 1999, and published by Electronic Arts. Command-level combat simulation where the player is responsible for navy battle ...

• Military UGVs

  MDMR

  With its small size and the ability to replicate snake-like movement, the Multi-Dimensional Mobility Robot (MDMR) can negotiate difficult terrain and is also known as the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  AGM-158C LRASM

  The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a precision-guided, anti-ship standoff missile based on the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range. It is intended to meet the requirements ...