The Defense Department has selected four companies to develop prototypes of a modular drone that can be used to test payloads, sensors, and other technology, and be produced at high rates at an affordable cost. Anduril Industries, Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc., Leidos Dynetics, and Zone 5 Technologies will develop prototypes for the Enterprise Test Vehicle project, with more than 100 firms applying to take part. The prototypes should be ready for the first flight demonstration in late summer or fall, and at least one promising prototype will be chosen for further development.
The ETV program manager for the Air Force Armament Directorate, Cassie Johnson, highlighted the importance of creating more opportunities for non-traditional aerospace firms. ETV is designed to be a test vehicle using an open systems architecture approach, which can be updated with modular subsystems to validate new components. Vendors will strive to minimize costs by using commercial off-the-shelf components and modern manufacturing techniques to achieve high production rates.
ETV will be able to be deployed in large numbers using various launch methods to create an overwhelming dilemma for any defending adversary. It is expected to be part of the Pentagon’s Replicator program, with collaboration from the Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Special Operations Command, Naval Air Systems Command, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Anduril aims to deliver an affordable, modular, and capable prototype for large-scale production, with similar goals from other participating companies.