• Defence Notes

  Why a true joint approach is vital for electronic warfare

  17th November 2022

  Speakers at last month's AOC convention highlighted the many barriers that still prevent full interoperability on electromagnetic spectrum operations, both within the US DoD and internationally.

• Digital Battlespace

  Software-defined technology is 'democratising' electronic warfare, says DARPA official

  27th October 2022

  Software-defined jammers and radars are reducing the cost of development to thousands of dollars and could force a pace of change that makes threat libraries obsolete.

• Air Warfare

  DARPA selects Lockheed Martin for ACE programme

  5th October 2022

  Lockheed Martin will develop full-scale experimentation platforms to implement Air Combat Evolution algorithms and technologies in this phase of the programme.

• Defence Notes

  Applied Physical Sciences continues research for DARPA on undersea sensors

  26th September 2022

  Applied Physical Sciences receives Phase 3C research contract from DARPA for undersea sensing systems.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA seeks partners to fill infrared capabilities gap

  23rd September 2022

  DARPA is keen to find partners for the Optomechanical Thermal Imaging (OpTIm) programme. The effort will develop novel IR sensors without the drawbacks of thermal sensors and photodetectors.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Final delivery of Danish autonomous MCM system imminent

  22nd September 2022

  The Royal Danish Navy is boosting its autonomous mine countermeasures capabilities by procuring new uncrewed underwater systems.

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA envisages smarter sensors with FENCE Phase 2 awards

  2nd September 2022

  Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are working on a DARPA programme to create neuromorphic IR camera technologies.

• Digital Battlespace

  US battle labs assess AI-based programme for airspace deconfliction

  7th September 2022

  The USAF and US Army partnership assessed Raytheon Corporation's AI solution that was designed to solve the problem of airspace deconfliction.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA aims for first trials of NOMARS vessel in 2024

  25th August 2022

  DARPA aims to begin trialling the first No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) in late 2024, the agency told Shephard following its 22 August announcement that it would build, test and demonstrate the first vessel.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Italy funds UUV demonstrator

  12th August 2022

  According to a contract notice, Italy has funded the development of a UUV demonstrator under an effort dubbed 'Recon-UV'.

• Air Warfare

  Reduced fleet size and weapons integration issues put squeeze on future RAF air combat missions

  22nd September 2022

  As the RAF manages NATO missions and faces increased pressure from Russia, defence experts argue that additional fighter jet deployments to the Asia-Pacific to maintain leading strategic ambitions signposted by the UK's Integrated Review looks to be out of the question.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing continues DARPA Hunter XLUUV work

  27th July 2022

  Boeing has received an $8.51 million contract modification from DARPA for Option 3 of the Hunter Phase 2 programme.

• Air Warfare

  Farnborough 2022: BAE Systems’ ‘flap-free’ design helps CRANE take flight for DARPA

  18th July 2022

  Wind tunnel tests have been completed of the active flow control effector for the future X-Plane in the DARPA Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) programme.

• Defence Notes

  DARPA picks Canadian firm for AI-based modelling research project

  15th July 2022

  The Automating Scientific Knowledge Extraction and Modeling programme seeks to harness AI for decision-making.

• Digital Battlespace

  HRL composes ELGAR to improve G-band electronics

  15th July 2022

  DARPA wants to maximise the opportunities offered by the G-band spectrum.

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.