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Unmanned Systems

DIU Interested In Low-Cost, Long-Range, Expendable UAS For Different Missions

By Cal Biesecker

Monday, September 30th, 2024

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DIU Interested In Low-Cost, Long-Range, Expendable UAS For Different Missions

Switchblade 600. Photo: AeroVironment.

The Pentagon’s lead innovation arm on Monday issued a solicitation seeking one-way commercial-built ground-launched drones that be fashioned for various missions over long-ranges and that can operate in contested environments. The Long Range One-Way Platforms solicitation builds on work the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and its Defense Department partners are doing with the Replicator Initiative, which is acquiring all-domain, attritable autonomous systems for use in a potential conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific theater. DIU wants rapidly launched, precision effects…

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