The US Navy has awarded a $39.5 million contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., of Poway, Calif., to provide MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Marine Corps troops stationed in Afghanistan. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military UAS
Russia’s Attack Drone Prototype to Start Test Flights
The prototype of Russia’s new heavy attack drone Okhotnik (Hunter) developed by the Sukhoi Aircraft Company will start test flights in 2018, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Sunday. Continue reading
US Army to Host Fly-Off for Future Tactical UAVs
The US Army plans to host a fly-off demonstration using off-the-shelf drones to define the capabilities of the FutureTactical Unmanned Aerial System (FTUAS), a replacement for the Textron RQ-7 Shadow. Continue reading
UK Government Report Highlights Issues with Defence Aviation Programmes
The UK government has declared that nearly every major defence aviation procurement programme currently ongoing is either in danger of not being successfully delivered, or can only be delivered once significant issues have been overcome. Continue reading
GA-ASI Maximizing Fuel Capacity for MQ-25
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is using an integrated fuel tank structure to maximize fuel offload for the proposed MQ-25 unmanned aerial refuelling aircraft for the U.S. Navy. GA-ASI applied its knowledge of advanced composite aircraft structures to develop integrated fuel tanks in a large-scale wing box test article and a full-scale wing skin pre-production validation article. Continue reading
Unmanned Systems in US Fiscal 2019 Defense Budget
For Fiscal Year 2019 (FY2019), President Donald J. Trump has requested $686 billion to fund the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This is an increase of approximately $74 billion from FY2018 and will support the current national security and defense strategies. Unmanned systems and robotics are key technology areas that enable the United States to counter the range of evolving threats posed on the modern battlefield. Continue reading
US Army Solicits Proposals for Second Phase of Next-Generation UAS Demonstration
The U.S. Army recently announced a request for proposal for Phase II of the Next Generation Unmanned Aircraft System Technology Demonstration to help inform and enable the Army’s next-generation UAS. The fleet is slated to operate in the 2030 timeframe and beyond. Continue reading
Schiebel Completes Successful S-100 Trials for Belgian Navy
Schiebel effectively demonstrated the exceptional search and rescue as well as maritime surveillance capabilities of the CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) from 21 June to 1 July 2018 to the Belgian Navy. Continue reading