• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA details next phase of ALIAS programme

  12th March 2015

  The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has detailed the next phase of its Aircrew Labour In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) programme, with all three contract …

• Defence Helicopter

  DARPA awards Sikorsky ALIAS Phase 1 contract

  5th March 2015

  Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase 1 of the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation …

• Military Logistics

  DARPA, US Navy to locate Fab Lab at MARMC

  16th February 2015

  DARPA and the US Navy have agreed to locate a fabrication laboratory (Fab Lab) at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) in Norfolk, Virginia, it …

• Land Warfare

  Darpa introduces SXCT infantry programme

  12th February 2015

  Darpa has introduced a new Squad X Core Technologies (SXCT) programme aimed at developing integrated systems for land infantry, it announced on 9 February. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leidos’ autonomy system completes voyage

  29th January 2015

  Leidos’ prototype autonomous maritime system for the DARPA Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme recently completed its first self-guided voyage between Gulfport and …

• Defence Notes

  DARPA announces MATRIX programme

  13th January 2015

  DARPA, on 7 January, announced the Materials for Transduction (MATRIX) programme to develop usable new transductional materials. Transduction involving the conversion of energy from one …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA awards Aurora ALIAS programme contract

  8th January 2015

  According to a press release on 5 January 2015 by Aurora Flight Sciences, the company has won a $6 million contract for the first phase …

• Land Warfare

  Logos Technologies to continue motorcycle development

  6th January 2015

  Logos Technologies has received funding to continue development of the SilentHawk military motorcycle under a DARPA Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Karem progresses to next phase of VTOL-X project

  18th December 2014

  Karem Aircraft will continue its development work on the DARPA Vertical Take Off and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) programme, with Phase 1B funding issued …

• Land Warfare

  USMC issues armour challenge

  17th December 2014

  A new stand-alone armour system to provide protection against heavy machine guns (HMGs) is being sought by the USMC. In cooperation with the US Defense …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems selected for Phase 2 of ARC programme

  10th December 2014

  BAE Systems has been selected for Phase 2 of DARPA’s Adaptive Radar Countermeasures (ARC) programme, and will develop a prototype system capable of detecting and …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems to develop OSA framework for C2E

  20th November 2014

  BAE Systems will develop a new open system architecture (OSA) framework of reliable, jam-resistant networked communications as part of the first phase of DARPA's Communications …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leidos runs at-sea testing for autonomous vessel prototype

  19th November 2014

  A prototype maritime autonomy system developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme has completed 42 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment awarded TERN Phase II contract

  9th October 2014

  AeroVironment has been awarded a $19 million phase II contract by DARPA for the Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme, the company announced on 8 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop Grumman selected for TERN Phase II

  1st October 2014

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a Phase II contract for the DARPA-Office of Naval Research (ONR) Tactical Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme. The company will …

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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  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.

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...