Unmanned Systems

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CA -- High-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft -- particularly Lockheed Martin’s U-2 Dragon Lady -- can serve as a bridge to the next generation of reconnaissance aircraft by acting as a test truck for new sensors, according to the commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing here.

The minesweeping system subsumed by the Navy's newest mine countermeasures program missed its planned milestone C decision date earlier this year because of poor weather and the impact of Hurricane Michael.

The Navy plans to award a production contract for two low-rate initial production Unmanned Influence Sweep Systems in fiscal year 2019 following a planned milestone C decision, according to a Navy spokesman.

An effort to outfit the Air Force's large remotely piloted aircraft with autonomous sense-and-avoid software will rely on agile development and could use rapid-acquisition authorities offered by Congress.

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- The Navy expects to award fabrication contracts in early 2019 for phase two of a new unmanned undersea vehicle program, according to an officer overseeing the effort.

The Army is using a new rapid prototyping and fielding, "middle-tier acquisition," authority granted by Congress to procure prototypes for its designated replacement for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, called the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle.

The development of the unmanned underwater vehicle market likely won't track the path of the unmanned aerial vehicle market, the chief executive of Huntington Ingalls said last week.

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Air Force Global Strike Command's chief scientist told Inside Defense this week he will soon reach out to industry and academia seeking new ways to protect strategic assets.

The United States will propose changes to how the Missile Technology Control Regime guides exports of unmanned aerial systems at an upcoming annual meeting, as officials want to enable U.S. companies to compete with countries like China for foreign UAS sales.