• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA awards Tern Phase 2 contracts

  26th March 2015

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded prime contracts for Phase 2 of its Tern joint programme with the US Navy's Office of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Innovate UK funds ASV to research Maritime Autonomous Systems

  26th March 2015

  Innovate UK has given £3 million to ASV, in partnership with nine other commercial and research organisations, to research and develop maritime autonomous systems (MAS), …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA awards two ACT contracts to Raytheon

  18th March 2015

  The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded two contract modifications to Raytheon in support of the Arrays at Commercial Timescales (ACT) programme. Raytheon …

• 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 …

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.