• 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

  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 …

• 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 …

• 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 …

• 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 …

• Digital Battlespace

  SRI gets DARPA data privacy contract

  29th February 2016

  SRI International has received an $8.5 million DARPA contract to investigate how privacy-preserving technologies can be applied to allow information sharing while protecting sensitive data …

• Defence Helicopter

  Honeywell to continue DARPA work

  17th February 2016

  Honeywell has been contracted by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to continue work aimed at improving three-dimensional (3-D) visibility and safety for …

• Land Warfare

  Virtual reality windows for DARPA

  12th February 2016

  Honeywell has been selected to provide a virtual reality (VR) instrument panel to the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for its Ground X-Vehicle …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: Seagull takes to the seas

  9th February 2016

  Israeli OEM Elbit Systems will showcase a range of technologies in Singapore, with attendees likely given an opportunity to obtain further details on the recently …

• Land Warfare

  DARPA targets infantry squad effectiveness

  22nd January 2016

  Raytheon has been awarded a Phase One contract by DARPA to develop new technologies to increase the effectiveness and safety of infantry squads, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT Asia: Saab goes underwater

  20th January 2016

  Saab showcased two UUV designs – the Sea Wasp (pictured above) and MuMNS – during UDT Asia in Singapore.  The Sea Wasp is designed to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Vencore awarded DARPA research contract

  19th January 2016

  Vencore has been awarded a contract by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to deliver research and proof-of-concept implementations in the area of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop confirmed for DARPA UAV project

  30th December 2015

  Northrop Grumman has been selected to develop a working demonstrator for DARPA’s Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme, it was revealed in a statement issued …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon delivers MS(3) for ACTUV

  19th November 2015

  Raytheon has delivered the Modular Scalable Sonar System (MS(3)) for DARPA's Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous TrailUnmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme, the company announced on 18 November. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  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, VTOL-capable ...

• Military - UUVs

  Lionfish UUV [USN]

  Background Timeline In 2023, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) was awarded an initial $19 million contract for the US Navy's Lionfish UUV programme. Its REMUS 300 ...

• Military - UUVs

  SeaCat (1-4) [Germany]

  Background Requirements The SeaCat UUVs will operate from the Frankenthal-class minehunters, supporting MCM operations. The UUV has a modular nose which allows for a quick change ...

• Military - UUVs

  Autonomous Ocean Drone [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Saab is delivering a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LUUV) currently named the Autonomous Ocean Drone AOD) to the Swedish Navy. It is designed to employ underwater ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) (Group 1-3) [US]

  Background Concept In early February 2026, the Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) stated that it required the ability to rapidly deploy large quantities of UAS while minimising the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  LongShot [USA]

  Background Requirement As explained by GA-ASI in February 2026, LongShot is envisaged as an air-launched UAV that will fly from larger, mostly crewed aircraft and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  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 and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XLUUV [USN]

  Background Requirements According to the FY27-FY31 shipbuilding plan, the XLUUVs will be “pier-launched vessels with a modular design that can accommodate a variety of payloads”. They ...

• Military - UUVs

  XLUUV [France]

  Background In January 2024, Naval Group announced it was developing an XLUUV demonstrator to serve as a technology and payload integrator. This is similar to ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Arctic Security Cutters (7-11) [USCG]

  Background Requirements The Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) programme aims to increase the US presence and capability in the Arctic to counter Russian and Chinese influence ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirement The requirement was initially reported in 2016 when it was noted as being part of a long-term development plan, however, reports from ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Background Initial requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

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

• 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 XRQ-73 designation places this aircraft in the experimental ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  X-68A

  The X-68A is a developmental, host-platform-agnostic air-launched effect (ALE). After developmental contracts were first awarded in 2021 under the LongShot programme, General Atomics (GA-ASI) emerged as the preferred supplier ...

• 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 - 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.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Tiltrotors, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  X-76

  The X-76 is an operational crewed aircraft designed to combine the flexibility of a helicopter with the speed of a fixed-wing aircraft.  Bell Textron is ...

• Military - UUVs

  Remus 300

  The Remus 300 is a variant in the Remus UUV family, produced by Huntington Ingalls Industries. The vessel is designed for Mine Counter Measure (MCM) ...

• Military - UUVs

  BlueWhale

  BlueWhale (ELI-3325) is an autonomous uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Israel's Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Countermeasures (MCM) and ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  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.