Two Northrop Grumman RQ-8A Fire Scout unmanned air vehicles have completed nine autonomous shipboard landings on the US Navy’s USS Nashville off the coast of Patuxent River NAS, Maryland – the first time a navy UAV has performed vertical landings on a moving ship without a pilot controlling the aircraft.
Source: Flight International
The Textron Systems MK 4.8 HQ Aerosonde is a finalist in the US Army’s Future Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System competition, along with the Griffon Aerospace Valiant, to provide tactical level ground combat troops with a new reconnaissance platform.
BAE Systems has detailed its latest series of test flights using the Prismatic-developed PHASA-35, as it promotes the ultra-long-endurance type for operational use from 2026.
Washington’s annual report on Chinese military power says Beijing has made significant advances in areas such as the production and fielding of unmanned aerial systems, while still facing challenges in long-distance logistics and command decision making.
