• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Fully autonomous MCM tests conducted

  2nd June 2016

  The US and UK militaries have trialled fully autonomous unmanned mine disposal systems, as industry and operators look to determine the future make up of …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS to enhance FPAs for DARPA

  25th May 2016

  DARPA has awarded a contract to DRS Technologies to improve its infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) as part of the Lambda Scale programme, the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA targets undersea navigation

  18th May 2016

  BAE Systems has received a contract from DARPA to develop an undersea navigation system to enhance the US Navy’s ability to provide precise global positioning …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SAS 2016: Liquid pushes Wave Glider

  23rd May 2016

  The latest version of California-based Liquid Robotics’ Wave Glider unmanned surface vessel – the SV3 is the company’s new flagship product. Speaking at the Navy …

• Land Warfare

  DARPA greenlights eight firms for GXV-T

  28th April 2016

  DARPA has awarded contracts for its Ground X-Vehicle Technology (GXV-T) programme to eight organisations, it announced on 26 April. The contracted organisations are: Carnegie Mellon …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UUV for navy divers in development

  22nd April 2016

  The US Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) and the Naval Post Graduate School are jointly developing a remotely-operated unmanned underwater vehicle …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New swimming robot in development

  21st April 2016

  Statoil and Kongsberg Maritime have signed an agreement with Eelume to accelerate the development of a new snake-like swimming underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) that can …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  More Bonefish tests ahead

  29th April 2016

  Saab Australia is excited about the prospects of its Bonefish USV Down Under, as its development continues. The latest series of talks suggests that it …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aurora flies subscale LightningStrike

  20th April 2016

  Aurora Flight Sciences has successfully conducted the first flight of a subscale vehicle demonstrator (SVD) of its LightningStrike vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) X-Plane for DARPA …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Quad A 2016: US Army eyes revolutionary UAS

  29th April 2016

  The US Army is planning to set out fresh requirements in the mid-2020s for a runway-independent UAS, with the service potentially eyeing revolutionary designs that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA’s ALIAS completes first flight test

  11th April 2016

  A research effort associated with DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) programme has conducted flight tests of a plug-and-play system designed to enable aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned ACTUV becomes Sea Hunter

  8th April 2016

  DARPA’s prototype anti-submarine warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) was christened on 7 May in Portland.  It marks the next development stage for the programme …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing introduces Echo Voyager UUV

  14th March 2016

  Boeing has introduced the UUV Echo Voyager, it announced on 10 March. The 51ft long vehicle can operate autonomously for months at a stretch with …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop receives DARPA MEMS contract

  16th March 2016

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $6.27 million contract by DARPA to develop a next-generation navigation-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) based on advanced micro-electromechanical systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aurora contracted for X-Plane phase 2

  7th March 2016

  Aurora Flight Sciences has been awarded a contract by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for phase two of the Vertical Takeoff and …

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

  Manta Ray

  Manta Ray is an uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Northrop Grumman.

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-Knifefish

  The Bluefin-Knifefish UUV was initially developed for the Surface Mine Countermeasure UUV (SMCM UUV) programme for the USN’s Littoral Combat Ships. It is manufactured by General Dynamics ...

• 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 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 ...

• 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 - USVs

  NOMARS

  The No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) is a US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) effort to develop a first-of-its-kind large uncrewed surface vessel.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - UUVs

  BlueWhale

  BlueWhale is an autonomous uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Israel's Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

• Military - UUVs

  Iver4 580

  The Iver4 580 is a UUV designed by L3Harris for commercial and defence survey operations.

• 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 - UUVs

  D19 UUV

  Naval Group's family of D19 drones are AUVs designated for varying taskings such as identification, surveillance, EW, mobile target, minelaying and MCM operations.