Launching & Retrieving volleys of low-cost reusable UAS
In March, Dynetics has been awarded a contract for Phase 2 of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Gremlins programme, an innovative technology programme that seeks to enable aircraft to launch volleys of low-cost reusable unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and safely and reliably retrieve them in mid-air. The Gremlins architecture is designed to enable other technologies such as advanced payloads and autonomous battle management for swarming systems.

Beginning in March 2017, Phase 2 is a planned 12-month effort worth up to $21 million in which Dynetics seeks to develop a detailed system design and mature technologies that are critical to achieving Gremlins’ challenging goals.

“We are very pleased and excited that DARPA selected our Gremlins design,” Mark Miller, Dynetics’ Gremlins Program Manager, said. “This opportunity expands previous work we have performed developing and rapidly fielding air-launched systems and leverages our creativity and agility. Our goal is to not only successfully complete the Gremlins demonstration for DARPA but to also help eventually transition this capability in some form to the warfighter.”

Dynetics has assembled a team of technology providers including Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Applied Systems Engineering, Williams International, Systima Technologies, Airborne Systems, Moog, and International Air Response.

“Our team is made up of multiple divisions within our company providing a diverse set of expertise, and our subcontractors represent the best in their class for their assigned roles,” Tim Keeter, Dynetics Deputy Program Manager and Chief Engineer for Gremlins, concluded. “We understand this important challenge is essential for our nation’s defense capability. Successful execution of Gremlins would lay the groundwork for the future use of swarming, recoverable systems for multiple missions.”