LongShot program eyes new target for early flight tests
The first flight test for the X-68A was originally set to begin in December of 2023, Breaking Defense previously reported.
The first flight test for the X-68A was originally set to begin in December of 2023, Breaking Defense previously reported.
The biggest pot of money sought is for a program whose details are listed as “Description withheld. Classified topic. Materials available at higher level.”
DARPA views LongShot — an unmanned aircraft system dropped from a bomber or fighter that can launch missiles of its own — a potentially useful for both the Air Force and Navy.
Preliminary designs reviews for the mothership drone, to be launched from an aircraft before firing its own missiles, are planned for mid-2022.
"This is a new effort, as the expanded mission now goes beyond a strict MQ-9 replacement," an AFLCMC spokesperson said. "This endeavor serves to explore concepts that address capability gaps of legacy platforms against increasingly sophisticated threats in denied, contested, and highly contested environments."
One of three current contenders for the LongShot program will be chosen to go into flight test, "based on the currently allocated budget," a DARPA spokesperson told Breaking D.