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.
Boeing’s autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype, developed under the Boeing NeXt programme, has successfully completed its first test flight in Manassas, Virginia, the company announced on 23 January.
The electric VTOL aircraft prototype has been designed and developed by Boeing’s subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences.
During the flight, which tested the vehicle's autonomous functions and ground control systems, the PAV prototype completed a controlled take-off, hover and landing. Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight, as well as the transition phase between vertical and forward-flight modes.
The prototype is 30ft in length and 28ft in width. Its advanced airframe integrates the propulsion and wing systems to achieve efficient hover and forward flight. It is powered by electric propulsion system and has been designed for fully autonomous flight with a range of up to 50 miles (80.47km).
Boeing NeXt works with regulatory agencies and industry partners to lead the responsible introduction of a new mobility ecosystem and ensure a future where autonomous and piloted air vehicles safely co-exist.
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.