DARPA Archives - Defense Daily

DARPA Looks To Next-Gen Small Autonomous Undersea Vehicles

Rich Abott — Wed, 06 May 2026 21:06:46 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) last month released a solicitation for its two year-long Deep Thoughts program looking to rapidly develop next-generation small autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) in […]

Boeing Wins Phase 2 Of DARPA Hypersonic Defense Interceptor

Rich Abott — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 21:09:11 +0000

Boeing [BA] won a $70.5 million contract to develop and test technologies for the second phase of the Defense Advanced Research projects Agency’s (DARPA) counter-hypersonic missile interceptor program, Glide Breaker. […]

DARPA Chooses GA And Aurora Flight Sciences To Design Liberty Lifter Seaplane

Rich Abott — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:36:29 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected teams led by General Atomics and Boeing’s [BA] Aurora Flight Sciences to develop designs for the Liberty Lifter Seaplane full-scale demonstrator, the […]

DARPA Chooses Northrop Grumman and Martin Defense Group For Manta Ray UUV Phase 2

Rich Abott — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 21:13:24 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded contracts to Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Martin Defense Group to move to Phase 2 of the Manta Ray unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) […]

DARPA Demos Autonomous C-UAS System to Target Multiple Drones

Kelsey Reichmann — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 20:24:27 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced on June 7 that its Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program recently demonstrated a counter unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) solution at Eglin Air […]

DARPA Selects L3Harris To Design NOMARS Concept

Rich Abott — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:57:34 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected L3Harris Technologies [LHX] for Phase 1 of the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program to design an unmanned ship concept, the company […]

Aurora Flight Sciences Awarded by DARPA to Design X-Plane Without Moving Control Surfaces

Brian Garrett-Glaser — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 21:07:42 +0000

Boeing [BA] subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences was selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as the first awardee in a potential X-plane project designed to explore the use […]

DARPA Launch Challenge Program Nears Releasing RFI For Potential Payloads

Marc Selinger — Wed, 23 May 2018 21:08:15 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) will soon issue a request for information on commercial and government payloads it could use in an upcoming launch competition, an agency official […]

DoD Nominee: U.S. Talent Not Focused On Future Weapons

Dan Parsons — Thu, 10 May 2018 18:48:21 +0000

China has shot ahead of the United States in developing futuristic military technologies like hypersonics and artificial intelligence because the Pentagon’s risk-averse culture repels the innovative talent needed to tackle […]

DARPA Sees Strong Interest In Competition To Spur Rapid Space Launches

Marc Selinger — Mon, 07 May 2018 21:49:37 +0000

More than 20 teams have indicated they might participate in the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA’s) Launch Challenge, a competition designed to promote rapid access to space for the […]

DARPA Picks Dynetics To Launch, Recover UAVs From Manned Plane

Marc Selinger — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 21:38:52 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has tapped Dynetics Inc. to conduct a demonstration in which a manned C-130 transport plane will launch and recover small unmanned aerial vehicles in mid-air. […]

To Attract Innovation, DoD Spy Lab Lets Researchers Keep Intellectual Property

Dan Parsons — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 19:42:09 +0000

When it poses a scientific problem to the world, the Pentagon’s research laboratory for spies never asks respondents to surrender their intellectual property because doing so scares off innovative startup […]

DARPA Pushing Hypersonic Missile Development To Meet Russia, China Capabilities

Matthew Beinart — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 22:44:05 +0000

The head of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) is looking to speed up the development of hypersonic missile capabilities to meet those of Russia and China, including seeking […]

Former Chief Weapon Buyer: Open Systems Requirements Need Better Enforcement

Dan Parsons — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 21:26:39 +0000

Requiring that new weapons have some degree of openness to upgrades has been a Pentagon policy for decades, but the Defense Department needs to better enforce that expectation so emerging […]

DARPA Launches Development Of Plug-And-Play Counter-Drone System

Dan Parsons — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 20:09:57 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has hired three firms to find ways of defeating the small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) that have become one of the most pervasive […]

ManTech To Support DARPA’s Military Technology Office

Matthew Beinart — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:32:17 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected ManTech International Corp. [MANT] as the main support firm for its Strategic Technologies Office (STO) with a potentially $200 million multi-year contract […]

Orbital ATK Loses Bid To Block DARPA Satellite Servicing Program

Marc Selinger — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 21:21:31 +0000

A federal judge has told the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that it can proceed with developing a satellite-servicing spacecraft, rebuffing Orbital ATK [OA], which charged that the government program […]

DARPA Taps Boeing To Build Experimental Spaceplane

Marc Selinger — Wed, 24 May 2017 21:22:31 +0000

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has picked Boeing [BA] over two other companies to design, build and test an unmanned, reusable spaceplane that could deploy small satellites, […]

DARPA’s RSGS Progresses Despite Lawsuit, Justice Department Moves To Dismiss

Pat Host — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 20:48:51 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is moving forward with its geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite servicing program despite a lawsuit that the Justice Department on Tuesday moved to […]

Justice Dept. Motion To Dismiss In DARPA RSGS Case (April 11, 2017)

Pat Host — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 18:27:05 +0000

DARPA, Aurora Finish Flight Tests Of Subscale VTOL X-Plane

Marc Selinger — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 21:18:52 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Aurora Flight Sciences, which are developing an unmanned, tilt-wing, vertical-takeoff-and-landing experimental airplane (VTOL X-Plane) called LightningStrike, have a achieved a significant milestone by […]

Bridenstine Defends Intervening In DARPA’s RSGS Program; Orbital ATK Sues

Pat Host — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 22:20:28 +0000

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) defended intervening in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program because he didn’t want the program, and its potential […]

DARPA Walker’s Letter To Kilmer On RSGS (Feb. 3, 2017)

Pat Host — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 17:13:20 +0000

DARPA Walker’s Letter To Bridenstine ON RSGS Program (Feb. 3, 2017)

Pat Host — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 17:11:50 +0000

Orbital ATK Lawsuit Against DARPA Over RSGS (Feb. 7, 2017)

Pat Host — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 16:00:06 +0000

Lawmakers’ Letter To DARPA On RSGS Program (Jan. 25, 2017)

Pat Host — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 17:50:06 +0000

DARPA White Paper On RSGS Program

Pat Host — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 15:55:30 +0000

Hunter Letter To DARPA’s Walker About RSGS (Jan. 23, 2017)

Pat Host — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 21:30:14 +0000

Hunter Letter To Work About DARPA’s RSGS Program (Jan. 23, 2017)

Pat Host — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 21:29:01 +0000

Navy, DARPA Get Temporary Leaders

Marc Selinger — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 20:43:07 +0000

Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley began serving as acting Navy secretary Jan. 20 following the exit of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, an Obama administration appointee. Stackley is expected to fill […]

DARPA Awards Raytheon $9 Million In Contracts To Develop Tech To Protect U.S. Power Grid From Cyber Attacks

Rich Abott — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 22:14:16 +0000

The Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Raytheon [RTN] multiple contracts worth a total of $9 million to research and develop technologies to help better protect U.S. […]

Industry Awaits Next Phase of DARPA’s Gremlins UAS Program

Marc Selinger — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 21:15:38 +0000

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), whose Gremlins program is developing an air-launched, air-recoverable unmanned air system, is nearing completion of the program’s first phase […]

DARPA Seeks Better Tracking Of Small Drones In Cities

Marc Selinger — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 21:11:51 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has unveiled a new program, Aerial Dragnet, which aims to develop technologies that provide a single, integrated picture of all small unmanned aerial […]

DoD Lays Out Sea Hunter Testing Goals

Pat Host — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 20:45:14 +0000

DARPA’s Sea Hunter full-scale autonomous warship prototype will help the Defense Department learn how unmanned capabilities will intermix with manned capabilities in future systems, according to a key Pentagon official. […]

DARPA Seeks Ideas To Counter Small Drones

Marc Selinger — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 21:13:22 +0000

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting ideas from industry, universities and others on how to protect land and sea forces against the increasing number of potentially hostile […]

DARPA RFI For Cross Domain Maritime Surveillance And Targeting (July 11, 2016)

Pat Host — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 15:16:28 +0000

Air Force Officer Sees Expectation Management As Key To Directed Energy Program Success

Pat Host — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 21:17:54 +0000

Setting achievable expectations is critical to the Defense Department fielding its first directed energy weapon, according to a key Air Force officer. Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) chief Gen. Ellen […]

Deep Learning Analytics Develops DARPA Deep Machine Learning Prototype

Pat Host — Wed, 11 May 2016 21:18:09 +0000

An Arlington, Va.-based company called Deep Learning Analytics has developed a deep machine learning automatic target recognition (ATR) program prototype for DARPA that will help assist aircraft pilots in finding […]

Deep Learning Analytics Develops DARPA Deep Machine Learning Prototype

Pat Host — Wed, 11 May 2016 21:18:09 +0000

Iron Man, Not Terminator: Machines Will Improve Human Performance In Third Offset

Dan Parsons — Tue, 03 May 2016 20:35:42 +0000

Many of the technologies that will define the U.S. military’s third offset strategy have yet to be invented, so Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work–the concept’s most vocal champion–often explains his […]

DARPA Developing Aircraft Brains That Can Think, Learn Mid-Mission

Dan Parsons — Mon, 02 May 2016 20:38:12 +0000

The Defense Department’s top secret laboratories are working on artificial intelligence (AI) that will allow military aircraft to think, learn and adapt to threats mid-flight. Arati Prabhakar, director of the […]

DARPA Developing Aircraft Brains That Can Think, Learn Mid-Mission

Dan Parsons — Mon, 02 May 2016 20:38:12 +0000

HASC Grants Army $90 Million For Fast Fielding Of Vehicle Active Protection Systems

Dan Parsons — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 20:34:40 +0000

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has heeded the Army’s call for Active Protections Systems (APS) for its combat vehicles, adding $90 million for off-the-shelf missile shields in its markup […]

HASC Grants Army $90 Million For Fast Fielding Of Vehicle Active Protection Systems

Dan Parsons — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 20:34:40 +0000

Aurora Flies Subscale VTOL X-Plane For DARPA At U.S. Facility

Rich Abott — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 21:07:55 +0000

Aurora Flight Sciences successfully flew a subscale vehicle demonstrator (SVD) of its LightningStrike Vertical Take-off and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) at a U.S. military facility for the Defense Advanced […]

Carter Urges Tech Professionals to Bring Expertise to Pentagon

Valerie Insinna — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 22:07:17 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO–Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made a pitch to a crowd of Silicon Valley technology professionals at the RSA security conference on Wednesday: Work for the Pentagon and help the […]

Northrop Grumman Wins $93M to Develop New Drone for Small Deck Ships

Valerie Insinna — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 21:55:22 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] landed a $93 million contract for a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could revolutionize the flight decks of small surface ships: an autonomous drone capable of […]

Study: Precision Small Arms Will Give Ground Troops Leg Up In Future Fight

Dan Parsons — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 20:43:28 +0000

The proliferation of highly capable electronics and advanced military weaponry could dull the edge U.S. ground forces have over their enemies in future ground conflict, but precision-guided small arms could […]

Deputy Defense Secretary Says Troops Teamed With Robots Will Keep Russia, China At Bay

Dan Parsons — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 20:56:17 +0000

Where precision-guided and nuclear bombs staved off war with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said thinking machines helping U.S. troops make faster, better […]

Kendall Says DIUx Chief Looking Inside DoD For Funding Sources

Pat Host — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 21:24:06 +0000

The head of the Defense Department’s newly formed Silicon Valley outpost is increasingly looking inside DoD for sources of funding, according to the Pentagon’s acquisition executive. Assistant Secretary of Defense […]