US Navy foresees an uncrewed future for its surface and underwater fleet
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
Safran Helicopter Engines and Urban Aeronautics have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to study market opportunities and address power system solutions to support the develop of a new platform family of internal rotor aircraft, it was announced on 21 September.
Urban Aeronautics' Cormorant (formerly AirMule) UAV demonstrator is currently powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 1D engine driving two ducted fans. The companies will discuss new developments involving more powerful engines for the system.
Under the MoU, Safran and Urban Aeronautics will conduct pre-series and production phases of new full-scale vertical-lift manned or unmanned vehicles, with a focus on systems for use in urban environments in the transport, medevac and air-taxi roles.
Rafi Yoeli, founder and chief executive officer of Urban Aeronautics, said: ‘Partnering with a major aerospace company like Safran will bring valuable expertise and help Urban Aeronautics move from the prototype to the production phase.’
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war have been using UAS for effective low-cost attacks, as well as impactful web and social media footage. Thousands more have now been committed to Ukrainian forces.
The US Army has intentions to develop light, medium and heavy variants of the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as part of the branche’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle family.