Can NATO’s CUAS marketplace turn urgent demand into deliveries?
Framework contracts and leasing options aim to shorten acquisition timelines, while manufacturing partnerships could help suppliers scale production to meet allied demand.
Recent firing demonstrations held by the US Army have shown the options available for the armament of the Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV).
Industry brought two systems to the firing demonstrations, which were held outside Kingman, Arizona, where US Army representatives had a chance to observe ‘the state of the possible’ for solidifying the LRV requirement.
According to the US Army, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle will serve as the base platform for LRV. However, the Army has been refining final requirements in areas like crew size and onboard weapon system.
One of the key weapon decisions involves whether the LRV weapon will be a precision weapon or a suppressive weapon.
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Framework contracts and leasing options aim to shorten acquisition timelines, while manufacturing partnerships could help suppliers scale production to meet allied demand.
The US is pursuing multiple UGV programmes, from commercial robotic platforms to new autonomy technologies. The combination of these efforts could prove key to turning ambition into operational capability.
NATO is looking to artificial intelligence to provide integration between different C2 systems to create a common operational picture, potentially offering a faster route to interoperability than the slow-moving processes of NATO standards committees.
The large-scale exercise in Latvia was the culmination of three experimentation initiatives to see how platforms, weapons and systems could fit into the alliance’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative. As well as forces, it brought together companies and equipment.
Canada plans to acquire at least 120 uncrewed aerial systems through two competitions with combined funding ceilings of C$32 million.
New counter-drone technologies, autonomous launchers and manufacturing modernisation initiatives highlighted emerging opportunities for defence suppliers, while the UK advanced a major military vehicle procurement programme.