BAE Systems to Develop Air Vehicle Systems for Skyborg Program
October 22, 2020 | BAE SystemsEstimated reading time: 1 minute
BAE Systems has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to develop an attritable air vehicle system for the Skyborg program
Under this program, which has a contract ceiling of up to $400 million, the company will compete to develop a digital design for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of autonomous functions.
The Skyborg program is intended to create a low-cost autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle that will partner with manned aircraft to increase air combat power. Teamed with a manned aircraft, the UAVs will leverage autonomy to disrupt and defeat adversaries in contested environments.
“The need to generate combat power faster than our adversaries is critical to address near-peer threats,” said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems. “This award will accelerate the development and deployment of manned-unmanned teaming technologies to give the U.S. Air Force a decisive edge in the battlespace.”
The UAVs will be designed with BAE Systems’ autonomous systems, which include sensors and payloads that communicate across a shared network with manned aircraft. This modular and common system approach provides the foundation for rapid updates and integration to ensure the fleet is fielding the latest capabilities to defend against emerging threats.
The shared network enables manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), which allows UAVs and manned aircraft to work together and complete missions more effectively. The network extends the reach of the fleet, while keeping the manned aircraft and personnel out of harm’s way. It will allow the UAVs to serve as the eyes and ears for pilots, collecting and sending data from the battlespace to a manned fighter.
BAE Systems has been at the forefront of autonomous system development for more than 20 years. The company has been the autonomy systems provider of choice for nearly every significant U.S. Department of Defense program in the last century. The program’s development work will be conducted at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Endicott, New York.
Suggested Items
Orbex Secures Patent for 'Petal Fold' Reusable Rocket Technology
03/29/2024 | OrbexOrbex has successfully patented its REFLIGHT reusable rocket technology following patent approval in several European markets, based on the patent grant by the European Patent Office, as well as in the United States.
Camtek Receives Approx. $25M from tier-1 manufacturer for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)
03/29/2024 | CamtekCamtek Ltd. announced that it has received a new order for approximately $25 million from a tier-1 HBM manufacturer, for the inspection and metrology of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). Most of the systems are expected to be delivered in the second half of 2024.
Reducing Nitrogen Consumption in Convection Soldering with Rehm Thermal Systems' Patented Mechatronic Curtain
03/28/2024 | Rehm Thermal SystemsCurrent developments indicate a need for larger throughput heights due to the trend towards e-mobility, which in turn increases nitrogen consumption for process inertization. Rehm Thermal Systems responds to this issue with an innovative solution: the mechatronic curtain.
Intel Announces New Program for AI PC Software Developers and Hardware Vendors
03/27/2024 | Intel CorporationIntel Corporation announced the creation of two new artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives as part of the AI PC Acceleration Program: the AI PC Developer Program and the addition of independent hardware vendors to the program.
SEMI ESD Alliance 2024 CEO Executive Outlook to Explore the Evolving RISC-V Movement and Semiconductor Design Ecosystem
03/27/2024 | SEMIKey executives from leading semiconductor EDA and IP companies will gather to discuss the latest industry trends, challenges and opportunities Thursday, May 9, in Santa Clara, California at the annual CEO Executive Outlook, hosted by the Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), a SEMI Technology Community, and Keysight Technologies. Registration opens soon.