• Air Warfare

  US hails HAWC test but still plays catch-up on hypersonics

  8th April 2022

  The second successful test flight of the HAWC missile fails to obscure patchy progress overall in US hypersonic programmes.

• Digital Battlespace

  T-MUSIC semiconductor programme moves to Phase 2

  1st April 2022

  BAE Systems gains a follow-on contract from DARPA to work on Phase 2 of the Technologies for Mixed-mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) programme.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA eyes critical design maturity for OpFires

  14th March 2022

  Lockheed Martin receives new OpFires contract modification to achieve system-level critical design security by September 2022.

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems tests prototype iMOTR

  4th April 2022

  BAE Systems designed the phased-array iMOTR system to track up to 20 low-altitude or sea-skimming targets in real time at ranges of up to 100km.

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA chases comprehensive battlespace awareness with JAWS

  1st March 2022

  DARPA is exercising options on the JAWS contract for all-domain battle management planning software.

• Defence Helicopter

  ALIAS-equipped uncrewed helicopter takes off

  9th February 2022

  Flexible and extensible automation architecture offers the prospect of uncrewed US Army rotorcraft missions in the Future Vertical Lift programme.

• Digital Battlespace

  CACI joins the MINC club

  7th February 2022

  DARPA selects another industry partner to help it implement the Mission-Integrated Network Control programme.

• Air Warfare

  Air Combat Evolution programme progresses to next phase

  16th February 2022

  The US DoD has commenced the search for partners for the next stage of the ACE programme.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA UGV programme aims to match crewed vehicle speeds

  28th January 2022

  With the goal to develop and demonstrate the ability of autonomous platforms to travel at speeds that maintain pace with crewed vehicles in complex terrain, DARPA will conduct two field experiments this year under the RACER programme.

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA picks another MINC partner

  3rd February 2022

  MINC will help the US military move away from static and siloed information architectures towards autonomous, dynamic and mission-driven approaches.

• Air Warfare

  DARPA selects Dynetics for ACE programme

  17th February 2022

  Dynetics has been selected for the ACE programme, which aims to better inform pilots with group-level situational awareness and coordinated targeting responsibility.

• Air Warfare

  DARPA strives for the future helicopter pilot

  2nd February 2022

  US DARPA has contracted Northrop Grumman to develop a rotorcraft pilot AI assistant.

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA orders support for JADC2 enabling programme

  4th January 2022

  Peraton is supporting the MINC programme, which would help to enable JADC2.

• Naval Warfare

  DARPA awards contracts for Phase 2 of Manta Ray programme

  27th December 2021

  Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Martin Defense Group were selected to build and test Manta Ray unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The companies are each developing unique full-scale demonstration systems.

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA deals out Blackjack ground centre contract

  14th December 2021

  Parsons is to complete a ground operations centre by mid-2024 for the DARPA Blackjack satellite 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 ...