What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
UUV Aquabotix has introduced SwarmDiver, a micro USV and UUV designed to operate in a swarm, the company announced on 9 April.
Multiple SwarmDivers can function simultaneously as a single coordinated unit, controlled via one operator on the surface, and perform dives on command to collect intelligence.
The miniaturised system has a weight of 1.7kg, a length of 75cm and can dive to a vertical depth of 50m carrying various sensor payloads. The system can provide wireless data feedback upon surfacing, and is deployable in groups for synoptic data gathering.
Whitney Million, chief executive officer, Aquabotix, said: ‘Until today, there were simply no micro hybrid USV/UUV vehicles and no swarming unmanned vehicles with diving capabilities, commercially available in the industry.
‘Maritime swarming is rapidly becoming an area of focus for naval forces globally and SwarmDiver leads a revolution in underwater technologies. SwarmDiver advances amphibious warfare tactics as it is engineered to handle dynamic operational situations, including ISR missions and sophisticated, coordinated assaults through tracking, trailing and overwhelming targets.'
In addition to defence and security applications, SwarmDivers can be deployed in research, harbour management and oceanography.
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.