A U.S. Navy Global Hawk wandered into Canadian-controlled airspace this week off the coast of NovaScotia. It was over the ocean when it crossed into the Canadian zone about 230 kilometres southwest of Yarmouth. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military UAS
US Navy Triton Programme Advances without “Sense-and-Avoid” System
The U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft is progressing through its flight-test programme, but still without a “sense-and-avoid” system that would protect against collisions with other aircraft. The Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) programme office said it is taking a “layered approach” to meeting the requirement until it finds a technology solution. Continue reading
US Marines Demonstrate Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS)
Autonomy options for the Marines have taken a major step forward, as officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced today two successful helicopter flight demonstrations with unmanned flight capability at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., part of the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) programme. Continue reading
US Air Force Report Details Future UAS Plans
The US Air Force next month will finally reach the target number of 65 combat air patrols for its Predator and Reaper fleet, while the administration seeks to cut back on its drone operations in theatre. The Air Force’s long-term outlook for its remotely piloted aircraft fleet was released last Friday, and includes insights into how future generations of unmanned systems will take on some missions exclusively flown by manned aircraft today, along with the current state of drone operations. Continue reading
RQ-4 Global Hawk Expands Satellite Communications Capability
The U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has completed a series of ground and air demonstrations at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., expanding the adaptability of the Global Hawk system to use an additional Satellite Communications (SATCOM) link to improve the transfer of mission data. Continue reading
South Korea Invests $250M in Domestic UAS
The South Korean government has announced its plan to spend 260 billion won ($247.1 million) over the next eight years to commercialize two advanced models of Korean-made tilt-rotor UAS, high-speed unmanned aerial vehicles that the government is looking to export. Continue reading
UK Team To Train on Triton
Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is dispatching a team to train on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton UAS in the run-up to a possible decision next year on whether to re-establish a maritime patrol capability. Responding to a parliamentary question April 3, the government said that four personnel are “scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June and August, 2014.”
US Navy Orders Five MQ-8C Fire Scouts for $44M
Northrop Grumman Corp. will build five long-range unmanned helicopters for operation from destroyers and other surface warships under terms of a $43.8 million U.S. Navy contract announced last week.