US is inches away from air docking of UAV

IDD Insight

In what will be path-breaking technology, US has come close to a unique feat of launching a UAV from air and retrieving it in air  upon completion of task.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced on December 12 that attempts at airborne retrieval of three unmanned air vehicles, nicknamed Gremlins, were just inches from success in DARPA’s latest flight test series which started on October 28. The DARPA hopes to rectify and demonstrate air retrieval in the next testing scheduled in spring of 2021

A UAV launched  from air and retrieved in air is expected to change the battlefield. At Present  UAV’s are launched from ground or ships and can land back at ground base or ship.  

Named a X-61A Gremlins Air Vehicle (GAV) flew for more than two hours during the test flight of DARPA, validating all autonomous formation flying positions and safety features.

Nine attempts were made at mechanical engagement of the GAVs to the docking bullet extended from a C-130 aircraft, but relative movement was more dynamic than expected and each GAV ultimately, safely parachuted to the ground.

“All of our systems looked good during the ground tests, but the flight test is where you truly find how things work,”Scott Wierzbanowski, program manager for Gremlins in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. Read the full claim here

The DARPA is an advanced-technology branch of the U.S. Department of Defense. The purpose of the agency is to try out new technologies and make them operationally ready, if possible, and to reach beyond current military technology to do something new.

The agency said hours of data were collected over three flights, including aerodynamic interactions between the docking bullet and GAV. Efforts are already underway to analyze that data, update models and designs, and conduct additional flights and retrieval attempts in a fourth deployment this spring.

“We made great strides in learning and responding to technological challenges between each of the three test flight deployments to date,”

.The Gremlins programme

The goal of the Gremlins program is to demonstrate air launch and air recovery of four GAVs within 30 minutes. The capability of safe, effective, and efficient air recoveries will dramatically expand the potential uses of unmanned air vehicles in conflict situations. The GAVs can be equipped with a variety of sensors and other mission-specific technologies. They can also be launched from various types of military aircraft, keeping those less expendable assets beyond the range of adversary defenses.

After air retrieval of GAVs, they would be transported back to the ground where crews could prepare them for another mission within 24 hours. Dynetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, is developing the Gremlin vehicles.

India and the US

Both countries have already announced that they are at an advanced stage of collaborating on co-developing an ‘air launched UAV’ that will include participation of an Indian private sector start-up company.

This will be under the DTTI, or the Defecne Technology  Trade Initiative, of the two countries, indicating deepening ties.

The US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord spoke about the upcoming project at the ‘India Ideas Summit’ a web-based discussion on ‘India, Multilateralism, and a Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ organized by the US India Business Council (USIBC) on late on July 21. Read it here

Lord said “Under the DTTI we are negotiating an air launched UAV”. This will be co-developed  by the  US Air force and DRDO ( Defence Research and Development Organisation), The Indian Air Force and a Indian start up, Lord said.

It is still not clear if India  will join the Gremlin programme or this India-US project is separate and is for launching swarm drones. Indications are that its about the latter project.