Unmanned Systems

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 25-2 Wednesday evening to approve its version of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill, including billions of dollars in new U.S. military investments focused on deterring China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Officials for the Navy's MQ-25 unmanned aerial tanker program told government auditors they are at risk of having to extend developmental testing by up to three years, echoing previous warnings the service has made since recent funding cuts.

The Army is continuing prototype assessments in two units for the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System, an effort to replace the RQ-7 Shadow UAS in brigade combat teams, while a third unit begins testing this month.

The Air Force today launched a competition for industry to participate in prototyping and experimentation for the Skyborg manned-unmanned teaming program.

Lawmakers are voicing concern that the Air Force's fiscal year 2021 plan to divest from legacy drone programs before next-generation platforms are ready could leave a gap in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities -- putting the service on the defensive as budget negotiations ramp up.

Despite a potential 10-month delay to the schedule, the Navy says it is still planning for its new unmanned aerial tanker program to achieve initial operational capability in fiscal year 2024, according to the officer overseeing the aircraft.

The Navy last week began a three-year effort to solicit ideas from industry to improve its future submarines and unmanned undersea vehicles.

The Army today issued a "narrative" for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program in place of an in-person industry day due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Navy says it is now implementing two key acquisition and design efforts into all unmanned maritime vehicle programs, bringing to fruition the service's years-long efforts to begin standardizing unmanned and autonomous technologies.