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26 Mar 26. US and UK teaming up to destroy underwater drones .
America and Britain are joining forces to tackle the threat of underwater drones to ports and other critical infrastructure, according to a solicitation by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit.
The two nations are seeking a comprehensive suite of commercial systems that can detect and destroy a variety of undersea robots, including unmanned underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles and semisubmersibles.
“Current solutions are fragmented, expensive, and limited in number,” warned the solicitation. The primary focus of the Robotic Exclusion and Engagement Framework, or REEF, project is to protect “ports and harbors from underwater threats of varying size and sophistication, while the broader goal is to protect all U.S. critical waterways.”
DIU envisions using off-the-shelf sensors, edge processing, active and passive sensors, sensor fusion, decoys and other technologies to create a stand-alone solution that can be quickly deployed as needed. This can include fixed systems such as moored buoys and buried cables, or mobile systems such as USVs, UUVs, UAVs and drifting buoys.
Sensors should be able to utilize artificial intelligence to discriminate between hostile undersea drones, versus nonthreats such as marine life, cargo ships and fishing vessels.
“The system must provide sufficient detection-to-response time for human in-the-loop decision-making such that underwater threats can be safely interdicted or neutralized,” the solicitation noted.
The system will employ kinetic and nonkinetic approaches to stop drones. Nonkinetic methods can include rapidly deployable nets, bubble curtains and synthetic barriers. Kinetic defenses can include kinetic payloads, acoustic directed energy and physical coupling devices.
Preference will be given to nonkinetic solutions, the solicitation said.
REEF will emphasize decoys to protect waterways and critical infrastructure. “Capabilities to confuse adversarial underwater craft are of high interest. These can be low-cost attritable systems or more technologically advanced systems that use signals to act as a decoy to prevent the successful completion of the adversary’s mission,” according to the solicitation.
REEF should require little training to operate, and use AI to provide users with suggestions. It must be compatible with existing U.S. command-and-control systems and common operating pictures.
Cooperation with the U.K. will be eased by a 2024 Department of Commerce interim final rule that allows some controlled items to be shared with Britain. British companies are eligible for export control relief under General Export Authorization No. 001. (Source: Defense News)
26 Mar 26. Getac Technology Corporation (Getac), a leading provider of rugged computing and mobile video solutions and a manufacturer with advanced in-house capabilities, today announced the launch of its brand new CommandCore rugged drone control solution.
CommandCore lets customers combine Getac’s proven rugged hardware with industry-specific accessories, payloads and software based on their individual needs and use case. The result is a comprehensive UAV/USV/UGV control solution that is fully adaptable and can be tailored to suit a wide range of challenging environments and operational defence scenarios.
At the heart of CommandCore is Getac’s Ground Control Station (GCS), which serves as a centralised, mission-ready hub, designed for real-time data processing, seamless drone control in extreme conditions, and overall management of operational parameters. Customers can choose between a number of different Getac devices depending on their GCS needs, including the ZX80 fully rugged Android tablet, UX10 fully rugged Windows tablet, S510 rugged Windows laptop, B360 fully rugged Windows laptop, and X600 fully rugged Windows workstation.
The form factor of the GCS can also be customised for maximum flexibility. Options include a fully integrated design with built-in drone controls and an accessory-type design that lets users separate the Getac device from externally housed drone controls as needed. Additional form factors include an office dock design, and a comprehensive suitcase design with dual display for use as part of mobile command and control activity.
Rugged reliability meets modular architecture
CommandCore has been engineered from the ground up to withstand harsh, unpredictable, and mission-critical operational environments without compromising on performance. Its proven rugged design ensures reliability in the field, while its scalable and configurable system architecture enables seamless customisation, expansion, and adaptation to evolving operational requirements across a range of industries.
For the defence sector, this modularity is underpinned by Getac’s sophisticated engineering depth and system-level design skills. Rather than offering a fixed configuration, Getac reserves maximum flexibility within the CommandCore architecture to customise the solution for specific mission requirements and unique end-user needs. By leveraging Getac’s advanced in-house manufacturing capabilities, Getac offers tailored configurations to support the complex demands of multi-domain operations.
An open ecosystem supporting smooth integration
CommandCore integrates smoothly with diverse drone ecosystems, supporting interoperability with third-party technologies and long-term collaborative system evolution. Getac’s GCS is available in both Android and Windows options, while the stable, high performance computing platform supports real-time, mission-critical operations in demanding situations and environments.
Setting a new benchmark in remote drone control solutions
CommandCore facilitates seamless drone operations in extreme terrain and/or high-pressure situations:
- Defence: Supports intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activity from both mobile and semi-fixed command posts, informing mission planning and execution strategies in real-time across land, sea and air. Given its robust capabilities, CommandCore is uniquely positioned to support the complex requirements of Army aviation and integrated air defense systems, providing operators with the reliable control and data visualization necessary for critical tactical operations.
“As the use of drones becomes increasingly widespread throughout numerous industries around the world, demand for comprehensive remote control solutions is also growing significantly,” says Amanda Ward, EMEA Senior Director of Technology & Services, Getac Technology Corporation. “CommandCore answers this demand, providing professionals who work in challenging environments every day with a highly customisable rugged control solution they can rely on to get the job done when it matters most.”
To learn more about CommandCore or to submit an inquiry, please visit www.getac.com
24 Mar 26. US Army Launches Online Marketplace to Revolutionize Drone Acquisition
The U.S. Army launched the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Marketplace on March 24 — a new digital storefront designed to get trusted, cutting-edge drone technology into the hands of Soldiers faster than ever before. This digital one-stop shop will allow Army units, government partners and allied nations to efficiently procure vetted UAS solutions.
Developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services and the Army Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, the digital storefront features tools that allow users to compare system functionalities, provide direct feedback and place orders with ease.
“The UAS Marketplace is a prime example of how the Army is transforming its acquisition processes to be more agile, competitive and effective,” said the Honorable Brent G. Ingraham, the Army Acquisition Executive. “By lowering barriers to entry and partnering with a wider range of industrial innovators, we are building a more resilient and responsive defence industrial base, which is essential for equipping our force and deterring our adversaries.”
The marketplace is more than a digital storefront. It marks a major shift from traditional, slower acquisition methods and is a key part of the Army’s goal to transform its procurement process. By creating a competitive and transparent environment, the platform will foster innovation, broaden the industrial base and provide a wider range of drone capabilities to meet the evolving demands of the modern battlefield.
“The success of this marketplace directly demonstrates the power of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive construct to deliver tailored capability faster and more efficiently,” said Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Maneuver Air. “It represents a pivotal shift in our acquisition mindset and is a cornerstone of Army Aviation’s modernization strategy. This new agility allows us to equip our Soldiers with the unmanned technologies they want and need to maintain overmatch on a complex battlefield.”
Project leaders emphasized that the marketplace is purpose-built to deliver capability faster than ever before, directly supporting Army modernization efforts and the strategic goal of achieving drone dominance.
“The UAS Marketplace is a transformative approach to acquisition,” said Col. Danielle Medaglia, the Army’s Project Manager for UAS. “By fostering competition and innovation, we are ensuring that Soldiers have access to the most advanced technologies to meet their mission requirements. This strategy is about delivering capability at scale and at speed.”
The Army is also leveraging the UAS Marketplace to accelerate the delivery of innovative UAS solutions to Allies and foreign partners. As it matures, this free-market approach to UAS procurement will strengthen international partnerships and streamline Foreign Military Sales processes by delivering mission-specific unmanned systems at the speed of relevance.
The Army will display the UAS Marketplace in booth #711 at the 2026 Association of the United States Army Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama, March 24-26.
The Army will also host a Marketplace Showcase on April 14, prior to the Army Aviation Association of America’s Warfighting Summit. (Source: UAS VISION/U.S. Army)
12 Mar 26. NATO Support and Procurement Agency Calls Orders for Parrot ANAFI UKR Micro-UAV Systems.
Parrot, a European supplier of professional micro-UAVs, has announced initial call-off orders through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for ANAFI UKR systems. Shipments began in Q1 2026 in tranches of 100–500 units, with volumes expected to scale into the thousands as programmes progress.
NSPA provides procurement and life-cycle support to NATO and partner nations. ANAFI UKR is available via NSPA’s UAS Support Partnership, allowing eligible customers to procure through catalogue or call-off orders in line with national procedures. The agreement reflects growing multinational coordination to improve interoperability and operational effectiveness within NATO.
For Parrot, the NSPA framework offers a scalable, repeatable procurement route. It builds on existing defence relationships and supports follow-on orders for ANAFI UKR, as well as potential procurement of other eligible systems.
The initial orders cover two end users: the Finnish Defence Forces and a second NSPA-eligible defence customer, to be disclosed later.
Chris Roberts, Parrot’s Senior Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer, said the NSPA channel enables faster capability deployment through standardized contracting, while remaining driven by national requirements. He added that ANAFI UKR meets frontline needs for compact, discreet systems capable of autonomous operation in GNSS-denied environments.
Jamming resistant
ANAFI UKR is designed for defence and government missions requiring secure communications, protected data handling, and reliable performance in demanding conditions. Its compact form supports mobility and rapid deployment.
Weighing under 1 kg, the system combines embedded AI, optical navigation, and full offline autonomy. It is built for resilience in contested environments, with anti-spoofing, frequency-hopping military radio, and hardened cybersecurity, validated in live electronic warfare scenarios. (Source: UAS VISION)
18 Mar 26. 101st Airborne Division Tests Next-Generation Drones During Live-Fire Exercise. The 101st Airborne Division tested its ability to integrate unmanned aircraft systems to support ground forces during a live-fire exercise, March 12 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“We are no strangers to innovation here on Fort Campbell,” said Army Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding general of operations for the division. “Drones are reshaping the geometry of the battlefield in real time and we must adjust. Distance and sanctuary no longer provide the protection they once did, and mass and speed of decision-making will increasingly be enabled by autonomy and [artificial intelligence]. This event tested and proved these assumptions for us.”
Advancing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s directive for drone dominance, the division used UAS operators assigned to its 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team and 101st Combat Aviation Brigade to fly multiple UAS alongside the 5th Special Forces Group.
The sortie, which consisted of an MQ-1C Gray Eagle, C100 small UAS and Attritable Battlefield Enabler 1.01 drone, provided aerial clearance for the Special Forces soldiers during the exercise.
“Drones are a great tool for over-the-hill reconnaissance,” said Army Spc. Basil Holland, an infantryman and small UAS operator assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. “They have a lot of ability to identify short- and medium-range targets and get eyes on whatever you need. It’s proven to be super useful.”
U.S. Army Reserve Command representatives attended to learn more about how the 101st incorporates emerging technologies.
“We wanted to get a clear understanding of how the big Army is integrating UAS,” said Sammy Stevens, a counter-UAS lead planner for USARC. “We want to try and replicate their efforts with the [Army] Reserve. During counterinsurgency operations, everyone was used to looking down to identify improvised explosive devices; now we have to look up in the air.”
Partnering with USARC highlights the division’s commitment to improving lethality for the entire Army.
“The 101st has been very gracious in supporting us,” said Army Master Sgt. Bryan Pettaway, USARC senior enlisted advisor for operations and logistics. “By showing us what has worked, and what hasn’t, they have helped us avoid those same mistakes.”
The exercise validated the division’s ability to operate UAS in a kinetic, multidomain setting. This successful pairing of systems and soldiers ensures the 101st Airborne Division remains at the forefront of Army transformation efforts.
“Today’s demonstration was a direct answer to the secretary of war’s directive,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Page Frazier, the exercise coordinator and member of the 101st Robotics and Autonomous Integration Directorate. “We did some unorthodox things and always made first contact with a machine. … And I don’t think any other exercise has done that. We leveraged modern technology to set conditions for a safe employment of a ground force.”
“I am superbly proud of the teamwork, from both the operational and institutional sides of the Army, as well as the conventional [forces] and Special Forces on Fort Campbell,” McIntosh said. “This exercise demonstrates one of the many ways we will dominate in tomorrow’s fight.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
13 Mar 26. Soldiers Assist Air Force Squadron With Drone Warfare Training.
More than 200 airmen training with the Air Force’s 368th Training Squadron spent Feb. 27 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, learning about unmanned aerial systems during an exercise designed to cultivate Air Force airmindedness and the warrior ethos.
The training squadron, based at Fort Leonard Wood, provides initial skills and advanced level training in the areas of ground transportation, engineering, emergency management and pavements and construction equipment.
According to Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christopher Moss, a specialty code instructor assigned to the training squadron, airmen at various specialty schools on base usually train separately, but this day was unique because it brought them all together.
“It allows them to integrate with our other schoolhouses, bringing them together as one force instead of each person learning just their craft,” Moss said. “Producing more well-rounded airmen for the force.”
Air Force Capt. Nathan Elking, 368th Training Squadron director of operations, said the unique training event is called Bracer Forge and is an operational readiness exercise.
“It is a continuation of the training airmen receive at basic training,” Elking said. “Both exercise initiatives are designed to instill airmindedness and warrior ethos in our airmen.”
The squadron’s exercise topics vary, but the current unmanned aerial system focus was driven by the unit’s specialty codes, which according to Elking play a key role in airfield damage assessment and rapid airfield damage recovery.
“Before each iteration of Bracer Forge, we provide the participating airmen with an operation order for the day and reporting instructions with a training scenario to recover a damaged airfield,” he said.
Squadron instructors prepared four stations for the airmen to rotate through.
At the airfield damage assessment challenge, Elking said teams conducted an assessment on a simulated airfield and relayed the information to their teammates in an emergency operations center.
“The airmen in the EOC were tasked with creating a map of the airfield using the details their counterparts called in over the radio,” he said.
While at the UAS reporting challenge, teams established defensive fighting positions and reported UAS activity to their teammates in the EOC by consolidating the information into a report to send up.
The other two stations were a high intensity physical fitness event and a UAS capabilities overview. Soldiers assigned to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Combat Training Company gave the UAS portion of the training.
“We are not subject matter experts on counter-UAS and UAS employment. Being able to leverage our Army partners at played a significant role in the exercise’s success,” Elking said.
According to Army Sgt. 1st Class Austin Priebe, Combat Training Company UAS chief, his mission was to introduce small UAS threats, and teach the basics of identifying, reacting to and reporting small UAS threats.
Priebe said most trainees he instructs have watched or controlled a simulated UAS in video games, but being able to experience a UAS in person, see and hear a drone up close, is “essential to prepare service members for what they will see in current and future conflicts.”
“We conducted practical exercises on scanning for UAS, completing a report and showed the airmen what they look like from an elevated viewpoint,” Priebe said.
This was the training company’s first time facilitating interservice UAS training.
“I’ve largely been focused on enabling training and instruction to the Army units here on Fort Leonard Wood since the inception of our UAS program this past fall,” Priebe said.
As the battlefield changes rapidly, so does our training requirements. If our organization can provide more realistic and in-depth training to our brothers and sisters in other branches, we only stand to benefit as a military.”
Priebe said his team is looking forward to conducting more interservice training events in the future.
At the end of the day, the exercise was a catalyst for innovation, Elking said.
“By exposing airmen to the dual nature of UASs — both as a threat to counter and a tool to master — we challenge them to rethink their mission sets and pioneer new solutions for the modern battlefield,” he said. (Source: U.S. DoD)
23 Mar 26. Steadicopter, a leading developer and manufacturer of rotary unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has announced the launch of its dedicated Steadicopter UAS Academy, a comprehensive training program designed to equip customers with the operational expertise required to maximize the capabilities of the company’s advanced rotary UAV platforms.
The academy provides structured training programs delivered by Steadicopter’s expert instructors, many of whom bring extensive operational, aviation, and unmanned systems experience. The courses are designed to provide operators, mission commanders, and technical teams with deep knowledge of rotary UAS operations, enabling them to effectively deploy the systems across a wide range of operational environments.
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on fully leveraging the unique advantages of rotary UAS, including persistent hovering, precision deployment, and operational flexibility. Trainees learn how to apply these capabilities across a broad spectrum of mission applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime operations, border security, tactical deployment, and special missions.
To ensure highly effective learning outcomes, the Steadicopter UAS Academy integrates state-of-the-art digital training tools and simulation-based learning aids, supported by an advanced LMS (Learning Management System). This digital infrastructure allows operators to develop mission planning, system operation, and decision-making skills within realistic digital environments before transitioning to live operational scenarios—significantly reducing training time while optimizing resource utilization.
A key feature of the academy is its global accessibility, enabled through Steadicopter’s robust LMS. This allows customers to conduct training, qualification, and ongoing personnel currency programs from virtually anywhere in the world, minimizing the need for travel, reducing operational downtime, and delivering a highly cost-effective training solution while accelerating time-to-readiness.
“Modern unmanned operations require more than advanced platforms – they require highly skilled personnel who understand how to fully exploit the capabilities of those systems,” said Noam Lidor, CEO of Steadicopter. “The Steadicopter UAS Flight Academy, supported by our advanced LMS, was established to ensure our customers gain the operational knowledge, mission expertise, and confidence needed to maximize the unique advantages of rotary UAS across a wide spectrum of missions. By combining expert instruction with advanced digital training technologies, we are enabling operators and technicians around the world to achieve operational readiness faster, more efficiently, and with significantly reduced training overhead – regardless of their location.”
The launch of the academy reflects Steadicopter’s ongoing commitment to supporting its customers not only with advanced unmanned systems, but also with the knowledge and operational expertise required to fully realize their potential in the field.
About Steadicopter
Steadicopter Ltd. specializes in the design, development, and production of rotary tactical unmanned aerial systems for military, homeland security, and civilian applications. Its VTOL UAV platforms are known for endurance, operational flexibility, and advanced sensor integration across a wide range of mission environments worldwide. The company maintains ISO-certified development, manufacturing, and marketing capabilities.
23 Mar 26. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), announced the successful flight testing and delivery of the U.S. Army’s experimental UH‑60MX Black Hawk® helicopter fully integrated with the company’s MATRIX™ autonomy suite. The delivery of the UH-60MX aircraft, owned and operated by the Army, marks a milestone in the Army’s pursuit of open‑architecture, mission‑supported autonomy and optionally piloted flight.
“The Army now has a new tool that furthers its vision laid out in the Army Transformation Initiative to mature and qualify pilot‑supported autonomy,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager, Sikorsky. “This capability will enhance mission effectiveness and survivability for warfighters today and lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s networked systems.”
The MX aircraft mirrors Sikorsky’s UH-60A fly-by-wire Optionally Piloted Black Hawk helicopter, which has been tested by Sikorsky and Army aviators over hundreds of flight hours and was commanded by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in November 2025. Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy kit has been installed on all three Army Black Hawk models, the 60A, 60L and 60M. The delivery to the U.S. Army is the first full authority fly-by-wire and optionally piloted UH-60 in the U.S. Army’s fleet.
The Army and Sikorsky worked collaboratively to install fly-by-wire flight controls to the MX aircraft and then integrate the MATRIX autonomy system in 2025. The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) will use the MX aircraft to test and evaluate autonomy capabilities, underscoring the Army’s commitment to fielding platforms that can seamlessly transition between manned, optionally piloted and fully autonomous modes.
Key Benefits
Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy suite is one of the priorities in the company’s autonomy strategy and Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security® vision, which includes modernizing the Black Hawk helicopter and introducing the S-70UAS™ U-Hawk™ to stay ahead of new and emerging threats.
MATRIX enables:
Improved Mission Effectiveness – Automated landing‑zone detection and obstacle‑avoidance enable safe operations in degraded visual environments, expanding the tactical envelope for Army missions.
Improved Aircraft Survivability – Real‑time terrain and obstacle awareness helps pilots and autonomous systems avoid threats, reducing exposure to hostile fire and hazardous terrain.
Improved Sustainment – The open architecture design reduces maintenance hours, delivering a measurable reduction in lifecycle costs.
Reduced Pilot Workload – Automation of routine flight‑control tasks allows pilots to focus on mission critical decisions, increasing overall sortie effectiveness.
Foundational Infrastructure for Future Autonomy – MATRIX establishes a scalable baseline for emerging capabilities such as launched effects, contested logistics and fully optionally‑piloted or uncrewed operations.
Looking Forward
The UH-60MX will assist the Army in the development of techniques, tactics and procedures (TTPs) for the use of optionally piloted and fully autonomous systems. The Army’s human-machine integrated formations conduct a wide variety of combat and combat support missions across the Army and joint force.
The MATRIX autonomy system forms the core of DARPA’s ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) program.
13 Mar 26. Airbus is preparing two uncrewed combat aircraft from Kratos for first flight with a European mission system. Airbus is working at full throttle to offer the German Air Force an operational Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) system by 2029. In Manching, near Munich, the company is currently preparing the first two Valkyries it acquired from its US partner Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) for their maiden flight with a sovereign European mission system. They are scheduled to fly later this year. The two companies are bringing their respective industry-leading capabilities to integrate, missionise, and ultimately produce and deliver the Airbus UCCA system.
Airbus is currently equipping the UCCAs with its sovereign European mission system, the Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) system. MARS also contains an AI-supported software brain called MindShare which not only replaces the missing pilot, but is also capable of coordinating entire mission groups by being distributed across many manned and uncrewed platforms.
“By combining the Kratos Valkyrie with our MARS mission system, we are offering the German customer exactly what Germany and Europe urgently need in the current geopolitical situation: a proven flying uncrewed combat aircraft with a sovereign European mission system that does not have to be developed from scratch in a time-consuming and costly manner,” said Marco Gumbrecht, Head of Key Account Germany at Airbus Defence and Space. “Our objective is to deliver credible combat capability in time of relevance, while assuring key sovereign aspects. And we are confident that we can do this at a very affordable price – which is a key driver for UCCAs.”
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, “We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity, the capability we’re providing, and the teaming relationship with Airbus. By taking the flight-proven and in-production Valkyrie and integrating the Airbus MARS mission system, the Airbus-missionised Valkyrie UCCA is a multi-mission, affordable system that can operate independently, in teams of UAS, or in Manned-Unmanned-Teaming operations. Along with the technical and production backing Airbus and Kratos bring, we are realising an optimal capability system that can be bought and deployed as ‘affordable mass’; the consistent discriminator identified in today’s peer to peer wargames.”
To enable the Eurofighter to act as a “command aircraft” with cross-platform connectivity performance, Airbus and Rafael are enhancing the Litening 5 Advanced Targeting Pod, already contracted for the Eurofighter fleet, with a connectivity capability. Along with minor updates to the Eurofighter’s avionics, these enhancements will significantly increase the aircraft’s lethality in combat.
Key technical data and areas of operation
The Kratos Valkyrie has a length of 9.1 m, a wingspan of 8.2 m, and a range of over 5,000 kilometres. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) is around three tons. It can fly at an altitude of up to 45,000 feet. The maiden flight of the Valkyrie already took place in the USA in 2019; and additional aircraft have been flying regularly since that time. The maiden flight of the Airbus variant is scheduled for 2026.
Fully autonomous or commanded by a Eurofighter, the Valkyrie will be able to take on sensitive mission tasks that would pose too great a danger to the pilot. The UCCA can service kinetic and non-kinetic mission sets in several roles. For the German customer, Airbus and Kratos are initially focusing on a specific role to deliver credible combat air power on time and on target.
17 Mar 26. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Air Force held another autonomy flight exercise yielding new and important developments in the operation of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The February 24 demonstration featured the latest government Autonomy Start Kit (ASK) and a GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger® uncrewed jet was used as a testbed CCA. The demonstration proved the aircraft’s ability to use a tactical proliferated low-earth orbit data link for seamless coordination with autonomy behaviors with complex infrared sensing as part of a large force exercise.
The MQ-20 performed Infrared (IR) sensing with Single Ship Ranging (SSR) and engagement using GA-ASI’s TacPad Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI). GA-ASI’s TacACE® (Tactical Autonomy Ecosystem) — built with and aligned with ASK — demonstrated passive target localization using SSR with an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor, enabling the uncrewed jet to autonomously estimate target range and track airborne threats without active radar emissions. This capability enables stealthy sensor-to-shooter kill chains, allowing GA-ASI aircraft to detect, classify, and localize targets while remaining fully passive, which is critical for operations in denied and contested electromagnetic environments.
“Integrated within the TacACE’s modular skills library, SSR supports autonomous mission execution, cooperative targeting, and distributed kill chains, advancing the role of autonomous aircraft in future air combat and CCA operations. This flight was part of a large forces exercise and allowed internal investment to showcase GA-ASI’s capabilities,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI.
GA-ASI’s MQ-20 Avenger uncrewed jet has served as a surrogate CCA for more than five years, both before and since the arrival of its purpose-built XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station and YFQ-42A CCA jets.
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