The Defense Department said Thursday that Northrop’s aerospace systems business aims to build a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS demonstrator under phase three of DARPA’s Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node project.
The Tern program will work to demonstrate Northrop-built drone technology for takeoff and landing via small vessels in order to facilitate military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike operations.
DARPA has obligated $29.6 million at the time of award from fiscal 2015 and 2016 research and development funds and expects Northrop to complete work by November 2017.