The Navy is considering tasking its new unmanned surface vessels with the ballistic missile defense mission, a move that could free up guided-missile destroyers and push the service toward the more distributed fleet it is seeking.
Unmanned Systems
July 7, 2020
The House Appropriations defense subcommittee’s mark of the fiscal year 2021 defense spending bill would fully fund KC-46 tanker procurement, add money to maintain the MQ-9 Reaper production line and support the Space Force’s three requested National Security Space Launch services.
July 2, 2020
House and Senate lawmakers are pushing to fund the Army's MQ-1 Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system after concerns that a temporary halt to the program will result in increased costs and requirement delays.
June 26, 2020
The Army announced yesterday the selection of eight interim counter-small unmanned aircraft systems for future investments as the service takes the lead on joint counter-drone technology efforts.
June 24, 2020
Senate authorizers in their mark of the next defense policy bill recommend cutting funding for the Navy's Medium and Large Unmanned Surface Vessel research and development efforts.
June 24, 2020
House lawmakers are moving to mandate that the Pentagon present a report on Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger's Planning Guidance.
June 24, 2020
A Senate panel is proposing legislation to re-instate -- after a brief hiatus -- the requirement for the Pentagon to produce an annual aviation inventory and funding plan, a move that could provide lawmakers as well as aerospace and defense analysts insight into the U.S. long-term investment plans for the approximately 14,000 aircraft flown by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
June 23, 2020
The MQ-9 Reaper and E-3G Airborne Warning and Control System are among the aerial assets slated to participate in the next Advanced Battle Management System on-ramp, according to an Air Force official.
June 23, 2020
Despite a less aggressive public campaign from the Navy this budget cycle to highlight unmanned ships, House lawmakers are continuing to push for legislative provisions to temper the service's rapid efforts to develop the untested technology.
June 22, 2020
A House panel is threatening to withhold funding from the military's flagship program to achieve joint all-domain command and control until the Air Force shares information on its Global Hawk divestment plans.
June 19, 2020
Even though the Air Force has spent the last two years trying to reform its drone export enterprise, particularly working to accelerate transfers, industry insiders say they haven't seen the expected results.
June 11, 2020
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.
June 11, 2020
The Air Force is researching a new kind of artificial intelligence that can resist adversarial attacks on data -- enabling an autonomous pilot that can eventually fly unmanned vehicles in the contested battle spaces of the future.
June 4, 2020
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.
June 4, 2020
The Air Force is looking for a new medium-altitude, unmanned aerial system to support intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions that can reach initial operational capability in spring 2031.
June 4, 2020
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.
June 1, 2020
The Army plans to restart in July its soldier operational experiment for the Robotic Combat Vehicle at Ft. Carson, CO, which is paused due to COVID-19 restrictions on travel and person-to-person contact.
May 16, 2020
The Air Force today launched a competition for industry to participate in prototyping and experimentation for the Skyborg manned-unmanned teaming program.
May 15, 2020
The Air Force today launched a competition for industry to participate in prototyping and experimentation for the Skyborg manned-unmanned teaming program.
May 13, 2020
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.