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15 Nov 24. JFD expands Indian Navy underwater capabilities partnership. JFD’s DSRV has capacity for a crew of three plus up to 16 rescuees. With an integrated dry mating skirt, Lithium Polymer battery system and 108 hours of life support the DSAR-500L is capable of mating at angles of up to 60 degrees and operating in currents of up to three knots.
JFD, the submarine rescue and escape training subsidiary of UK-based maritime engineering and energy company James Fisher and Sons plc, announced on 14 November that it had signed a new contract that aims to boost the Indian Navy’s underwater capabilities.
The new contract represents a “significant” expansion of its ongoing partnership with the Indian Navy, which can be traced back to as far as 2018 with the award of a 25-year all-inclusive maintenance support service agreement.
“Through our long-term Submarine Rescue System contract, we have built a strong foundation with the Indian Navy enabling us to understand their challenges and anticipate and respond to their evolving needs,” said JFD Managing Director Rob Hales.
“We are honoured to further enhance this partnership and support the [Indian] Navy with advanced underwater solutions and expertise to support their mission success now and into the future,” added Hales.
The company has previously delivered two complete ‘flyaway’ submarine rescue systems to the Indian Navy. Each system comprises its free-swimming DSAR-650L submarine rescue vehicle (SRV), launch and recovery system (LARS), a Transfer Under Pressure system, an SMD Atom intervention remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and an EdgeTech 4200 series towed side scan sonar, as well as associated logistics and support equipment.
JFD describes the Indian Navy’s submarine rescue systems as ‘third generation’ which represents an improvement in Time to First Rescue (TTFR) performance while ensuring a robust and reliable design at the same time.
As part of this effort, the company had conducted extensive air transportability trials for the third-generation submarine rescue system with the Indian Air Force’s Ilyushin-76 transport aircraft. The trials proved the functionality of the ground handling equipment provided by JFD to interface with the IL-76, enabling the safe loading and unloading of all elements of the submarine rescue system.
JFD noted that it has a presence on both east and west coasts of India to offer responsive support to regional contracts. (Source: AMR)
14 Nov 24. South Korea carries out inaugural launch of fixed-wing UAV from Dokdo class. South Korea has for the first time launched a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from one of its Dokdo-class helicopter carriers.
This strengthens suppositions that the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) will eventually transition its Dokdo-class ships into sea-based carriers for medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs as well as helicopters.
In a 13 November post released on its official social media channel, the RoKN described the inaugural launch as part of ongoing efforts to introduce new technologies and concepts that can be applied in combat situations.
The UAV and its various support systems were loaded on the first-of-class ROKS Dokdo on 4 November, where it was eventually assembled in the days leading up to the inaugural flight on 12 November, said the RoKN.
Prior to its flight, the UAV was transported to the flight deck via the vessel’s elevators, presumably to assess the ship’s overall ability to handle operations associated with fixed-wing UAVs.
After it was launched, the UAV flew for about one hour over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) while maintaining communications with Dokdo .
Also carried out as part of the flight was a “mock landing operation” alongside Dokdo, which presumably refers to a flypast manoeuvre that assesses the UAV’s ability to undertake final approach procedures with the carrier.
Subsequently, control of the UAV was handed over to the RoKN’s naval air command unit in Pohang, South Korea, where it eventually landed. (Source: Janes)
13 Nov 24. Pentagon buys two new types of drones under Replicator initiative. The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that it will add two new types of drones and more networking software to its ambitious Replicator initiative aimed at rapidly putting thousands of drones in the hands of the military. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said the Anduril Industries Ghost-X and the Performance Drone Works C-100 UAS were selected under the Replicator program to help fill the Army’s Company-Level Small UAS effort.
The Replicator initiative, announced last year, is an ambitious effort to quickly muster and deploy large numbers of cheap drones by August 2025. The Pentagon targeted spending $500 m annually on the plan to network and task thousands of cheap, smart combat drones for any future conflict.
The Replicator 1 initiative was designed to be a “pathfinder” to a new way for the Pentagon to quickly solve a hard problem, something which President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration may use to streamline defense acquisition. (Source: Google/Reuters)
15 Nov 24. China’s ZIYAN Unveils Intelligent Drone Solutions at Milipol Qatar. At the Milipol Qatar Summit, China’s ZIYAN, alongside local partner MANNAI Corp, highlighted emerging security trends and unveiled an intelligent, cost-effective UAS platform tailored to evolving industry needs. ZIYAN participated in the Milipol Qatar Summit & Exhibition 2024, one of the foremost worldwide stages for security technology and solutions. Concentrated on delivering heightened capabilities for industry customers, ZIYAN leverages its product strengths to empower sectors such as border and coastal safeguarding. Utilizing its self-developed intelligent awareness framework, ZIYAN expands the drone capacities to optimize operational productivity at a reduced cost, showcasing a cutting-edge UAS solution tailored to evolving security requirements. ZIYAN’s Shadow S3 long-endurance Unmanned Helicopter, which has a Level 7 wind resistance and a top speed of 100km/hour, was on display at the center of the Ministry of Interior’s (MOI) booth – one of the company’s customers in Qatar. Looking ahead, ZIYAN states that it is resolute in advancing innovative UAS technology, bringing adaptable, impactful solutions to fulfill the dynamic exigencies of the global security landscape. (Source: UAS VISION/ZIYAN)
13 Nov 24. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) logged another aviation milestone on Nov. 12, 2024, when its Gray Eagle STOL aircraft took off from a South Korean warship and landed at a ground base – the first-ever such mission for an aircraft of this type. Working with our GA-ASI’s in-country partner, Hanwha Aerospace, Gray Eagle STOL launched from the South Korean navy’s amphibious landing ship Dokdo underway at sea off the coast of Pohang, South Korea. The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) then flew to Pohang Navy Airfield and landed normally.
Gray Eagle STOL – which stands for short takeoff and landing – is the only medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft of its kind with the ability to operate from large-deck warships such as amphibious ships and aircraft carriers, as well as short and unimproved fields on land. The test with the South Korean military further validates the aircraft’s capability and versatility.
“We applaud the South Korean navy for its foresight in examining the unique capability of GE STOL for its fleet. This demonstration illustrates the ability of the GE STOL to safely operate on many types of aircraft-capable ships, which opens myriad new ways our allies can use this UAS to support multi-domain naval operations,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue.
Hanwha Aerospace is engaged with General Atomics to support national defense with proven, state-of-the-art technology suited for a multi-domain warfare environment, contributing to global security alongside allied nations in response to rapidly growing threats.
“The demonstration is a crucial step in verifying how the GE STOL can contribute to defense capabilities, and I am honored to witness this alongside the Republic of Korea Navy, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude for conducting the test,” said Hanwha Aerospace CEO and President Jae-il Son. “Hanwha is fully committed to making bold investments, fostering collaboration, and providing steadfast support in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) business.”
The Ministry of National Defense for the Republic of Korea is initially evaluating GE STOL for its ability to meet its emerging military requirements. South Korean navy, army and other officials were asked to evaluate Gray Eagle STOL and supported the test.
“The demo highlighted the versatility of STOL aboard a warship, in the Dokdo, designed not for fixed-wing aircraft but solely for helicopters. Gray Eagle STOL’s flight proves that navies can add significant new capability without costly major modifications to their existing warships,” said South Korean Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Yang Yong-mo.
Gray Eagle STOL is highly common with the classic Gray Eagle aircraft, substituting a different engine, wings, control surfaces and landing gear. Gray Eagle STOL is General Atomics’ name for the production variant of the historic aircraft demonstrator known as Mojave.
In November 2023, GA-ASI and Mojave performed a demonstration of STOL takeoff and return landing aboard an aircraft carrier in an event with the UK Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales, which is smaller than a typical U.S. aircraft carrier at 932 feet long (284m) and 240 feet wide (73m). The Dokdo class is considerably smaller than the Prince of Wales, only 653 feet long (199m) and 102 feet wide (31m).
13 Nov 24. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks Announces Additional Replicator All-Domain Attritable Autonomous Capabilities. Building on the Department’s growing autonomy portfolio, selections focus on scalable production of class-leading systems across multiple domains and critical enabling software.
Today, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced additional capabilities selected for accelerated fielding as part of the Replicator initiative. This second tranche, or Replicator 1.2, will include systems in the air and maritime domains, as well as integrated software enablers that will enhance the autonomy and resilience of other Replicator systems.
These capabilities add to the first tranche of selected systems announced earlier in 2024 and further contribute to the Department’s goal of fielding multiple thousands of all-domain, attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems to warfighters by August of 2025 — or within 24 months of Deputy Secretary Hicks launching the initiative.
“The Replicator initiative is demonstrably reducing barriers to innovation, and delivering capabilities to warfighters at a rapid pace,” said Hicks. “We are creating opportunities for a broad range of traditional and nontraditional defense and technology companies, including system vendors, component manufacturers, and software developers, to deliver critical capabilities that our warfighters need, and we are building the capability to do that again and again.”
Collectively across both tranches, more than 500 commercial firms were considered for Replicator hardware and software contracting and major subcontracting opportunities. Contracts have been awarded to more than 30 hardware and software companies, of which 75 percent are non-traditional defense contractors, in addition to more than 50 subcontractors.
Included in Replicator-1, Tranche 2 (1.2) is the Army’s Company-Level Small UAS effort, which has selected the Anduril Industries Ghost-X and the Performance Drone Works C-100 UAS. These systems will enable Army maneuver companies to conduct multiple tasks with rapidly reconfigurable, attritable, modular payload capabilities to execute reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition missions.
“Ukraine has demonstrated the value of small, attritable drones on the battlefield,” said Gen. Randy A. George, the Chief of Staff of the Army. “The delivery of commercially available Company Level Small UAS with support from the Replicator initiative will allow American soldiers to rapidly experiment, learn and innovate with these systems. The advancement of battlefield technology requires us to innovate faster than ever before.”
The Department is also scaling loitering munitions through fielding and expanded experimentation of the Anduril Industries Altius-600 as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Organic Precision Fires program. This system complements the Switchblade-600 loitering munition produced by AeroVironment Inc. that was included in the first tranche of Replicator.
“Replicator is helping Marines experiment with a portfolio of systems that deliver organic, loitering, beyond-line-of-sight precision strike capability,” said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric M. Smith. “Expanded experimentation with these systems will inform future Organic Precision Fires efforts and enable refinement of our Force Design, concepts and doctrine.”
Additionally, the Replicator initiative has selected the U.S. Air Force’s Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV). Over the next year, the Air Force and DIU will partner with multiple vendors to develop and demonstrate design variants. Four vendors are currently providing prototypes: Anduril Industries, Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc., Leidos Dynetics, and Zone 5 Technologies. Select ETV prototypes will be accelerated to scaled production.
“The ETV’s modular design and open system architecture make it an ideal platform for program offices to test out new capabilities at the sub-system level, reducing risk, and demonstrating various options for weapon employment,” said Gen. Jim Slife, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. “We are excited to be a part of Replicator 1.2 and to increase the speed of the ETV effort.”
Replicator 1.2 also includes additional systems that remain classified, including low-cost long-range strike capabilities and maritime uncrewed systems.
The Department’s autonomy efforts, including Replicator, are also leveraging resilient decision-making architectures for collaborative autonomy teaming, or ‘integrated enablers’ capable of coordinating hundreds or thousands of unmanned assets in a secure shared environment. These ‘integrated enablers’ are enhancing the ability of Replicator systems to operate and collaborate autonomously, and to remain resilient in the face of jamming and other countermeasures. The Department is acquiring many of these integrated software enablers using Commercial Solutions Openings led by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) that streamline and accelerate onramps for commercial industry. Announcement of these awards is forthcoming.
“Combining cutting-edge hardware with cutting-edge software — the capabilities and needs of each pushing the bounds of what is possible with the other — is at the heart of the very best of technology in the commercial sector,” said Doug Beck, Director of DIU. “Replicator is harnessing this same synergy, ensuring we can adopt commercial best practices to iteratively develop, test, and ultimately field autonomous systems, both individually and collectively, at scale.”
Selected capabilities fill both operational and scaling gaps and will be fielded by August 2025 to meet the ambitious goals of the Replicator initiative. (Source: U.S. DoD)
13 Nov 24. JSW Defence & Shield AI Forge Strategic Partnership To Bring Cutting-Edge Military Aircraft Technology To India.
JSW Group To Invest $90m Over The Next Two Years
JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd., part of the $24bn JSW Group and Shield AI, Inc, a leading U.S defense technology company, today announced a strategic partnership to indigenize and manufacture Shield AI’s “V-BAT,” a Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). This collaboration marks a significant step in boosting India’s defense capabilities by bringing in world-class UAS technology to the country.
As part of the partnership, the JSW Group will invest around $90 m in the next two years, with $65 m allocated in the first 12 months to establish JSW’s global compliance program, a manufacturing facility to ensure proper technology licensing, and training of manpower. This investment will enable JSW to establish a local supply chain and create an advanced facility in India for manufacturing, assembling and testing V-BAT aircraft. This effort will enable large-scale production of V-BATs in India to serve the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and also function as a global production hub for Shield AI.
The V-BAT is a fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), long endurance intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) platform, currently deployed by multiple armed forces around the world, including the United States’ Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs). It provides cutting-edge ISR functionality in a highly tactical system, capable of being forward deployed in complex and adversarial territory in order to provide a range of flexible solutions to special forces, front-line infantry, armored and artillery units. V-BAT has a unique patented ducted design with the advantage of a small logistics footprint and ease of rapid deployment.
Parth Jindal of JSW Group said, “Our collaboration with Shield AI is in keeping with our commitment to induct mission-critical technologies for deployment by the Indian Armed Forces and play an integral role in indigenizing defense technology in India. Through this partnership, we will be able to supply indigenous V-BATs at scale, provide flight operator training, and end-to-end maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) services to the Indian Armed Forces. The JSW Group has always believed in bringing world class products and services with State-of-the-Art technology into India and this partnership is yet another milestone in this journey.”
Sarjan Shah, Shield AI’s Managing Director for India, said, “Shield AI has been an early mover on investing deeply in India, in line with both governments’ desires for a closely integrated defense supply chain between the US and India. This partnership with JSW has been crafted over a multi-year period to transform the depth, scale and scope of India’s indigenous capabilities in the field of military unmanned systems. We look forward to doing a lot more with our partners in India.”
“Shield AI is excited to enhance the Indo-US strategic partnership through collaboration with JSW Group, strengthening our commitment to deploy cutting-edge UAS technology globally and harness India’s vast engineering and manufacturing talent. India, designated as a Major Defense Partner by the United States in 2016 and elevated to Strategic Trade Authorization tier 1 status in 2018, is one of only two countries with this designation—the other being the UAE, where Shield AI also has offices,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-Founder and a former Navy SEAL.
“JSW recognizes the same thing Shield AI does: that Group 3 UAS drones like the V-BAT can accomplish the same missions as many helicopters and larger Group 5 UAS drones for a fraction of the price. As the market shifts from expensive, exquisite aircraft to swarms of lower-cost, AI-piloted UAS drones, this collaboration builds upon Shield AI’s significant U.S. investments, enhances global distribution, and supports continued expansion of U.S. operations.” (Source: ASD Network)
13 Nov 24. The Parrot Anafi USA is a Remotely Piloted Air System used by the British Army for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Lightweight and compact, the Parrot Anafi is capable of being launched by patrols in under one minute and offers increased situational awareness.
The British Army uses this microdrone to improve situational awareness and oversight for ground forces. It is a compact, foldable drone that can be used for a variety of missions, including:
- Reconnaissance – soldiers can use the ANAFI USA to track their own positions, locate enemies, and share that information with their squad.
- Complex missions – it can maintain a connection with video, telemetry, and command and control for up to 32 minutes.
- Sensitive operations – it has a secured wireless link and SD card encryption for highly confidential missions.
Also able to operate in adverse weather conditions, the Parrot’s forward looking infra-red camera provides greater fidelity of imagery and detail. It also features a 32x zoom, 4K HDR video and thermal imaging capabilities designed around two cameras, one 21-megapixel and a 16 megapixel.
Sergeant Adam Barnes, of the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment, has used the Parrot extensively. He said:
“For where the British army’s use of drones is currently, the Parrot Anafi USA is brilliant in its use as a small and lightweight reconnaissance drone and for helping in directing fires from mortars and guns. From rifle companies to support company it is increasing our unit’s effectiveness ten-fold.”
Soldiers must complete a three-week course to qualify as a pilot for the Parrot drone. The British Army also has a racing club to encourage interest in FPV drones.
With the upcoming compatibility with battlefield software ATAK, users will be able to see which drones are friendly and which are not, avoiding confusion during battle.
Sgt Barnes adds: “The use of drones is forcing us to think more about electronic warfare’s importance and how other aspects of the military can be affected by this and teaching us how to combat and avoid becoming victim to it.” (Source: ASD Network)
13 Nov 24. Exail Selects ST Engineering iDirect’s Manufacturing Competence Center as Strategic Partner for Belgian-Dutch Navy Program.
Leveraging MCC’s expertise in cutting-edge electronics for underwater minesweeping drones.
ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, announced that its Manufacturing Competence Center (MCC) has been selected by Exail, a leading high-tech industrial champion specializing in cutting-edge robotics, maritime and navigation technologies, to deliver the electronics for the underwater drones of the joint Mine Counter Measure Program (MCM) of the Belgian and Dutch navies.
Recognized for its experience in building custom electronics for different high-tech industries such as government and defence, space, medical and high-end programs, including for the European Space Agency (ESA), ST Engineering iDirect continues to set standards in advanced manufacturing.
The replacement Mine Counter Measure program (rMCM) was awarded to Belgium Naval & Robotics, a Naval Group-Exail consortium initiated to provide Belgium and Dutch navies with new mine warfare capabilities based on a unique stand-off approach, including surface, underwater and aerial drones.
“We are delighted that Exail has chosen us to manufacture the electronics for its underwater drones, bound for use by the Belgium-Dutch Naval groups,” said Danny De Smet, Sales and Marketing Manager at ST Engineering iDirect’s Manufacturing Competence Center. “This partnership recognizes MCC as a leading manufacturer of electronic high-reliability assemblies, and we look forward to showcasing the immense capabilities of our state-of-the-art facilities, like our Erpe-Mere plant, to build critical solutions for the EU government and defence markets.”
“ST Engineering iDirect’s MCC facilities and its team’s unrivalled knowledge, are truly second-to-none. Working with them to deliver our electronic boards will enable us to bring our innovation to life,” said Steven Luys, Chief Executive Officer at Exail. “By collaborating with another Belgian-based enterprise, not only are we working to enable more autonomy in the EU supply chain, but we are also illustrating the talent we have to offer in such critical and demanding markets here in Belgium and across Europe.”
ST Engineering iDirect’s MCC located in Erpe-Mere, Belgium, is well-known for its excellence in delivering electronic high-reliability assembly, testing and repair services. Its capabilities were awarded the esteemed Factory of the Future title four consecutive times since 2015. Factories of the Future invest in digitisation, personnel, smart processes and products, as well as in world-class manufacturing.
(Source: ASD Network)
11 Nov 24. Euroatlas unveils Greyshark AUV. German engineering and defence firm Euroatlas unveiled its new Greyshark autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) at the Euronaval 2024 exhibition, held in Paris from 4 to 7 November. Speaking to Janes at Euronaval, Eugen Ciemnyjewski, managing director of Euroatlas, and Stefan Spindler, sales engineer/key account manager at Euroatlas, said that the new AUV can be used for a variety of tasks including critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) protection, patrolling, and mine warfare. The AUV can be used in the CUI protection role to detect failures on civil infrastructure such as pipes and cables. Greyshark can also be used to detect adversary vessels and is capable of patrolling in a set pattern at sea or in harbour. The AUV can be launched from a harbour or a larger surface vessel. Greyshark is also capable of operating in a swarm of up to six AUVs and can be used to detect mines. It can interface with other Greysharks or with other ships and submarines, scouting ahead for over-the-horizon reconnaissance to check for threats and avoid the endangerment of other ships or submarines. (Source: Janes)
13 Nov 24. Russia Tests Mysterious Air-Launched Drone. Russia is reportedly working on a new and enigmatic drone under the auspices of Rostec subsidiary United Aircraft Corporation.
This new project, dubbed the Unmanned Transport Module, is being developed for air-launch from under the wings of the Su-57 Felon, Russia’s flagship fifth-generation stealth fighter.
The concept for this drone, which some media outlets are calling the Su-71K, blurs the lines between an unmanned aerial vehicle and a stealth cruise missile.
Official documents describe the Unmanned Transport Module as an air-launched UAV with the capability to engage a variety of stationary and moving targets under complex counteraction conditions. Its onboard systems are said to include advanced automatic target recognition and decision-making processes based on artificial intelligence and neural networks, which suggests that the platform is designed for highly autonomous operations.
According to available information, the drone features a fuselage housing a warhead, advanced optical and navigation sensors, and a power plant system consisting of a nozzle and air intake. The UAV also includes a swept wing design, a twin-fin all-moving tail unit, and an onboard intelligent search and guidance system. These components collectively make the Unmanned Transport Module resemble a stealthy version of a traditional cruise missile, suggesting a hybrid approach that aims to combine characteristics of both drones and guided missiles.
Reports indicate that the Unmanned Transport Module will be externally carried by its launch aircraft, the Su-57 Felon, and will have the ability to be controlled from the ground or by the Su-57 pilot. This dual-control capability is expected to allow for flexible mission re-tasking during flight, offering the capacity for coordinated strikes based on real-time intelligence.
Media sources have noted that the initial concept for the drone has undergone significant revisions, shaped by Russia’s experience during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The war has led to considerable losses in Russia’s aerial assets without achieving substantial strategic gains. As a result, the drone project has been adapted to better reflect lessons learned in combat—emphasizing survivability and flexibility in a complex, contested environment.
Analysts familiar with the project suggest that the Unmanned Transport Module is, in essence, a “smart” cruise missile with remote guidance capabilities. Such features make it adaptable to evolving battlefield scenarios, providing either autonomous strike options or real-time input from human operators to adjust its flight path as needed. The system reportedly employs multiple communication channels for guidance, which allows the mission to be modified by either the aircraft operator or a ground-based control team.
Currently, it is known that three prototypes of this mysterious drone have been constructed and have undergone testing at Akhtubinsk Air Base, one of Russia’s major aviation test facilities. (Source: UAS VISION/Defence Blog)
08 Nov 24. BAE Systems’ Herne XLAUV technology demonstrator gears up for first in-water demonstrations. BAE Systems, in partnership with Canadian marine technology company Cellula Robotics, is poised to start the first in-water capability demonstration of its Herne extra large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) in the coming week.
Speaking to Janes at the Euronaval 2024 exhibition in Paris, held from 4-7 November, Tom O’Neill, business development, BAE Systems Maritime Underwater, said the initial sea trials are set to start on 11 November and will continue for a two-week period.
The demonstration will take place at a facility on the south coast of England in front of a selected audience that includes international customers and industry partners.
The aim of the demonstration is to showcase BAE Systems’ advanced autonomous capabilities in an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) scenario.
BAE Systems joined forces with Cellula Robotics in 2023 to fast track the development of a militarised version of Cellula Robotics’ 12 m-long Solus-XR that could be used to test the ‘brains’ of BAE’s concept for an XLAUV.
O’Neil said development of the prototype has taken place at Cellula Robotics facilities in Vancouver, and the XLAUV arrived in the UK in August 2024 to continue the setting to work of the different payloads and system solutions that will be showcased during the next two weeks.
The initial ISR configuration is focused around a mission package for basic navigational purposes and mission autonomy, including an electro-optical/infrared camera and electronic surveillance and communications systems that will be managed by the company’s Nautomate intelligent autonomous control system. (Source: Janes)
08 Nov 24. Saab’s Autonomous Swarm Technology Used in Landmark AUKUS Trial. Saab’s Autonomous Swarm technology recently featured in the ground-breaking Project Convergence 2024 trials, consisting of one month in the United States. A large UK team, comprising 40 employees from Saab-owned BlueBear and UK MOD Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) personnel, demonstrated the ability to deploy interoperable AI within Autonomous Swarms of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).
AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, held trials that demonstrated the pivotal role of BlueBear’s technology in collaborative, networked, swarms of UAS. BlueBear’s AI enabled Centurion™ mission system provided the ability for a single operator to command a diverse swarm of autonomous UAS.
At the core of BlueBear’s AI-enabled autonomy solution is the ability to ‘hot-swap’ AI from any supplier in an autonomous systems-of-systems. This technology is key to unlocking the game-changing potential of deployed networked sensors and effectors in an integrated multi-domain battlefield.
BlueBear’s RedKite and Ghost UAS, were used in tandem with Centurion™, by the tri-nation AUKUS team to rapidly retrain and deploy AI algorithms, that enabled the payloads and UASs.
”The AUKUS trials marks a significant increase in our ability to interoperate with allied nations, both at mission and core technology levels. Significant investment from both the UK Government and Saab’s BlueBear have allowed us to collectively mature and de-risk high-value technologies that are imperative in modern warfare,” says Andy Fraser, Group Managing Director, Saab UK.
The AUKUS trial was the culmination of Autonomy and Open Architecture work consistently funded by Dstl over two decades. Find additional details of the trials on gov.uk.
Saab acquired BlueBear in August 2023, as its rapid capability accelerator innovating new technologies and integrating them across Saab’s portfolio. (Source: ASD Network)
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