• Digital Battlespace

  Space Vehicles XVI programme a ‘small part to a larger solution’

  5th September 2019

  The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is investigating the use of low Earth orbit satellites to extend the range of the Link 16 tactical datalink, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AFRL and Dzyne demonstrate OPV concept

  21st August 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Dzyne Technologies have completed a two-hour maiden flight of an optionally-piloted concept for manned aircraft dubbed ROBOpilot, …

• Military Logistics

  USAF to receive new munitions research complex

  10th May 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has broken ground on a new $75 million Advanced Munitions Technology Complex (AMTC) at Eglin Air Force Base …

• Defence Notes

  AFRL tests SHiELD demonstrator

  8th May 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) Advanced Technology Demonstration programme successfully completed the surrogate laser weapon system shoot down …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XQ-58A Valkyrie completes first flight

  11th March 2019

  The US Air Force’s XQ-58A Valkyrie UAV demonstrator completed its first flight on 5 March at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory …

• Land Warfare

  AFRL research targets advanced AAA weaponry

  27th February 2019

  The Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate and the National Museum of the US Air Force Collection Management Division are teaming up to help address …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF announces Swarm and Search AI Challenge

  25th January 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with Wright Brothers Institute and University of …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems signs GaN agreement

  21st September 2018

  BAE Systems and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have signed a cooperative agreement for Phase 1 of a technical effort to transition gallium …

• Military Logistics

  AFRL extends serviceability of hydraulic lines

  31st August 2018

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently completed an effort to help develop, test and validate a cold spray coating process for the life …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Aerojet Rocketdyne tests new solid rocket motor

  10th August 2018

  Aerojet Rocketdyne has test fired a new solid rocket motor at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The …

• Military Logistics

  AFRL experiments with artificial silk for body armour

  8th August 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Purdue University are experimenting to develop a functional fibre that can be woven into sizeable, flexible …

• Digital Battlespace

  Altamira receives RF contract from AFRL

  12th July 2018

  Altamira Technologies has received the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) $24.6 million distributed radio frequency sensing (DRS) contract to provide next-gen radio frequency (RF) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pressure on Pentagon for MUM-T solutions

  11th July 2018

  In the Pentagon's bid to race ahead with new technology development, the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) is joining forces with the other services to …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF and MIT further waveform development

  24th May 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL) are working together to test advanced waveforms …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leidos to provide sensor technology to AFRL

  15th January 2018

  Leidos has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to provide sensor technology under the Electro-Optical Combined Hyperspectral Imaging, Infrared …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | ULTRA [US]

  The USAF, and more specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has invested in the ULTRA aircraft from DZYNE Technologies, with the drone possibly developed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | ULTRA [US]

  The USAF, and more specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has invested in the ULTRA aircraft from DZYNE Technologies, with the drone possibly developed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA [US]

  Background Origins The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) conceived and developed the aircraft with DZYNE Technologies. According to The War ...

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

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [US]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

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

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [India]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Off Board Sensing Station (OBSS) [USA]

  Background Initial View of OBSS The USAF initially envisaged the Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) as an attributable, low-cost, and modular manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) solution. More information was given by Kratos' 26 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Data links

  TTNT

  The Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) programme is intended to develop, evaluate and demonstrate reconfigurable, affordable, robust, interoperable and evolvable communications technologies to support emerging ...

• Subsystems: software

  SWARM

  CHI Systems worked with Lockheed Martin on a programme for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build software models that imitate human behaviour, and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  XQ-67A

  In February 2024, GA-ASI first released images of the XQ-67A, a drone developed under a contract for thge USAF's Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) developmental programme. It ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies. It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-hardened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full global ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• 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 UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Demogorgon

  In late October 2021, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Kratos Unnamed Systems Division an initial $17.68 million 12-month cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop an Off-Board Sensing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  XQ-58 Valkyrie

  The XQ-58 Valkyrie, also known as the U740 Valkyrie, is a long-endurance, runway-independent, fixed-wing loyal wingman-type UAV developed jointly by Kratos and the Air Force ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  FQ-44A Fury

  The Fury Autonomous Air Vehicle (AAV) is a fixed-wing UAV with fighter-like capabilities. Anduril, which acquired the drone design in 2023, was awarded a contract for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gambit (Series) / FQ-42A Dark Merlin

  The Gambit series comprises six UAV variants centred around the Gambit Core, a common system that contains the platform’s hardware, including landing gear, baseline avionics, ...