LongShot UAV program by DARPA awards initiating contracts
NewsFebruary 15, 2021
WASHINGTON. DARPA's LongShot program, which is developing an air-launched unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with the ability to employ multiple air-to-air weapons, has awarded contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman for preliminary Phase I design work.
According to DARPA, the objective is to develop a novel UAV that can extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft.
It is envisioned that LongShot will increase the survivability of manned platforms by allowing them to be at standoff ranges far away from enemy threats, while an air-launched LongShot UAV efficiently closes the gap to take more effective missile shots.
In later phases of the program, LongShot will aim to construct and fly a full-scale air-launched demonstration system capable of controlled flight, before, during, and after weapon ejection under operational conditions.
