Tag Archives: darpa

DARPA Awards Contracts for Long-Range ‘Liberty Lifter’ Flying Boat Design

DARPA Awards Contracts for Long-Range ‘Liberty Lifter’ Flying Boat Design

Artist concept of General Atomics bid for DARPA’s Liberty Lifter Program

This post has been updated with additional contract information.

The Pentagon’s emerging technologies research arm awarded two aviation companies contracts to develop seaplanes that would fly less than 100 feet off the ground and carry 90 tons of cargo more than 6,500 nautical miles, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday. Read More

RIMPAC Testing Will Inform the Fate of Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle

RIMPAC Testing Will Inform the Fate of Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle

Medium displacement unmanned surface vessels Seahawk, front, and Sea Hunter launch for the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem 21 (UxS IBP 21), April 20, 2021. US Navy Photo

The manned-unmanned teaming experimentation currently underway at the biennial Rim of the Pacific 2022 exercise will help the Navy decide the future of the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle, a service official told reporters on Monday. Read More

Navy Creating 'Sandbox' to Evaluate Work from Tech Companies

Navy Creating ‘Sandbox’ to Evaluate Work from Tech Companies

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Alberto Ramirez, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division uses a communication system during Urban Advanced Naval Technology Exercise 2018 (ANTX18) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 19, 2018. Marines are testing next generation technologies to provide the opportunity to assess the operational utility of emerging technologies and engineering innovations that improve the Marine’s survivability, lethality and connectivity in complex urban environments. US Marine Corps photo.

The Navy – looking for flexibility when dealing with small, high-tech companies – is creating a “sandbox” to vet work from both the companies and the service, according to a Navy official. Read More

UPDATED: DARPA Asked Marines to Consider Adding Land-Based Hypersonic Weapons to Arsenal, But USMC Not Interested

UPDATED: DARPA Asked Marines to Consider Adding Land-Based Hypersonic Weapons to Arsenal, But USMC Not Interested

U.S. Marines with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines, 4th Marine Regiment, fire a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) during Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course (WTI) 1-18 in Yuma, Ariz. on Oct. 17, 2017. US Marine Corps Photo

This post has been updated to note that, after publication, the Marine Corps told USNI News that DARPA reached out about working together on land-based hypersonic weapons but the Marine Corps is not interested.

The Pentagon’s research and development community reached out to the Marine Corps over how a land-based hypersonic weapon could be incorporated into the smallest service’s quick-maneuver concept. Read More

Panel: Military Wants Accelerated Buys for New Tech But at What Cost?

Panel: Military Wants Accelerated Buys for New Tech But at What Cost?

A Marine with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, prepares the newly developed “Black Hornet” unmanned aerial system for flight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. on Aug. 5, 2016. US Marine Corps Photo

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Marine Corps is moving ahead quickly on equipping its infantry squads with the latest technologies, including small quadcopter drones that will help build their situational awareness on the battlefield. Read More