A sleek little model sits on the desk of Lt. Gen. Jon “Dog” Davis, Marine deputy commandant for aviation. What is that, we asked? The next tilt-rotor Bell Helicopter Textron hopes the Marine Corps will buy. But it’s not the V-280 Valor, the new manned tilt-rotor Bell plans to fly next year. It’s an unmanned tilt-rotor designed to give the Marines a drone that can do everything the Air Force’s armed MQ-9 Reaper does – and more. Especially taking off and landing from ships or from land where there’s no runway.
Category Archives: Military UAS
First RQ-21A Blackjack international sale
The U.S. Department of Navy recently signed an agreement with the Canadian Department of National Defense for the first RQ-21A Blackjack Unmanned Air System (UAS) international sale.
Australian Army Seeks up to 200 Nano Drones
Black Hornet – Photo: Prox Dynamics
The Australian Army has put out its feelers to buy up to 200 tiny drones over the next two years so its combat teams can spy on the enemy, scan dangerous situations and navigate rough terrain. Continue reading
Israel, Kazakhstan Sign UAV Agreement
Kazakhstan’s defence ministry has struck an agreement with its counterpart in Tel Aviv over the supply of Israeli-made unmanned air vehicles. Continue reading
UK Orders Third Zephyr
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced it has ordered a third, record-breaking, Zephyr-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), as part of a £13-million contract with Airbus Defence and Space (ADS).
DARPA to Put Anti-Missile Lasers on Drones
The Pentagon, which has put a lot of effort in recent years into developing laser weapons, is continuing with a program intended to mount high-powered lasers on manned and unmanned aircraft to defend against heat-seeking missiles. Continue reading
QinetiQ to Integrate Hell Bay 4 Defence Exercises
QinetiQ will provide the UK component of a multinational demonstration of unmanned and autonomous systems under a new contract with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
General Atomics Gets $371M USAF Reaper Contract
General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $370,932,862 firm fixed-price, incentive firm contract for fiscal 2015 MQ-9 Reaper production.