• 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 Notes

  Australia diversifies AUKUS into advanced capabilities such as hypersonics

  12th April 2022

  AUKUS is about far more than giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines, with the three countries announcing a wide portfolio of defence collaboration.

• Naval Warfare

  DSA 2022: Japan commissions first ship in new frigate class

  25th March 2022

  Both Japan and South Korea are building frigates, with the former commissioning the first of a new class and the latter launching the last of a class on 22 March.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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 ...