Unmanned Drones - All Types for Military and Naval Use

[Pelican]

Watch Loyal Wingman drone fly for the first time

After three years of development and testing, Boeing Australia's Airpower Teaming System, aka "Loyal Wingman" drone, successfully completed its first autonomous flight.
See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXsuuQufQGo
Also:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-02/ ... g/13207388

[ivorthediver]

Good for them , and well done , nice to hear of it ....

[Pelican]

Three more ‘Loyal Wingman’ aircraft to be developed
March 12, 20218
The Australian government is to co-develop an additional three Loyal Wingman aircraft with Boeing.

Boeing say here that it welcomes the announcement by the Australian government to co-develop a further three Loyal Wingman aircraft to advance the air-teaming vehicle, payloads and associated support and training capabilities.

“The agreement will increase the aircraft’s production capability to six aircraft for Royal Australian Air Force and is valued at $115 million over three years. The Loyal Wingman is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.”

Continues at:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/three-m ... developed/

[ivorthediver]

I can only wish them well and hope that the UK can learn from them and develop our own version of this that way the RAF could benefit to .

[Pelican]

ROYAL NAVY JOINS APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME FOR AUTONOMOUS VESSELS
15 March 2021
The Royal Navy is joining a partnership to provide apprenticeships in autonomous and crewless vessel operations.


Maritime training specialist SeaBot XR is collaborating with the navy and other industry partners to identify the skills needed for the maritime autonomous surface ship (MASS) sector.

The scheme will create a working group to develop the use of apprentices for remote and autonomous operations both above and below the surface.
Continues at:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... nticeships

[Pelican]

NEW AUTONOMOUS VESSEL DELIVERED TO ROYAL NAVY
26 March 2021
The Royal Navy’s experimentation innovator NavyX has officially welcomed a new autonomous vessel into its service.

Named Madfox (Maritime Demonstrator For Operational eXperimentation), it is derived from technology firm L3Harris’ Mast-13 vessel, which for the past 18 months has been operated by Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) on a series of trials with the Royal Navy.

Since being delivered, NavyX has been working hard to get Madfox to sea and ready to begin a demanding year of testing.

Over the next few months, NavyX will carry on its work with Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), while also examining how these vessels can deliver across the range of military operations including surveillance and force protection.

Commander Antony Crabb, NavyX team leader, said: “With Madfox now directly in the hands of NavyX, the team will be able to explore a multitude of issues such as safety, regulatory compliance, new missions, new payloads and the role that a USV can play in complex operations and within the future fleet.

“Later this year NavyX will also accept an autonomous Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) into the inventory. This exciting work will help inform how systems are deployed, and employed, from future vessels of the Type 26 and Type 31 classes.”

The investment in Madfox comes as the Royal Navy and Royal Marines look to expand their use of crewless and autonomous equipment.

Mast-13, proved the value of USVs during experimentation in Norway last year when it was successfully integrated with HMS Albion for Autonomous Advance Force 3.0. There it was controlled remotely, including for the transit in and out of the ship’s dock.

Video and photos at:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... fox-vessel

[Pelican]

UK considering carrier based drones for aerial refuelling
April 2, 202142
According to a presentation on the ‘Future Maritime Aviation Force’, the Royal Navy is planning to develop a carrier launched aerial refuelling aircraft.

See:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-cons ... 9kOVJ69Oqg

[Pelican]

Royal Navy looking at fixed-wing carrier based drone for AEW
April 2, 202118
By 2030, the Royal Navy plan to have moved carrier based ‘Airborne Early Warning’ capability from Merlin helicopters to ‘Vixen’ fixed wing drones.

See:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/royal-n ... qqXjxe2uwo

[Pelican]

A Navy Destroyer Teamed Up With Drones to Hit a Ship 250 Miles Away

A U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer targeted a simulated enemy ship at a range of more than 250 miles.
The destroyer relied on targeting data supplied by uncrewed ships and aircraft.
Using drones to act as scouts for the crewed ship allows the warships to remain hidden, protecting them from enemy attack.

Continues at:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/milita ... NASmUL5rE0

[Pelican]

Sailors take control of crewless autonomous boat in latest trials

See - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... ETnHMBZNuo