The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has initiated a bold endeavor, seeking firms capable of developing advanced attack drones. These unmanned aerial systems would need to carry fighter-sized munitions and strike targets hundreds of miles away, operating from warships without requiring complex launch and recovery infrastructure.
A Growing Threat, an Innovative Response The necessity for this new generation of drones is driven by a pressing strategic reality. Long-range anti-ship weapons pose an increasing threat to U.S. Navy vessels, degrading their ability to accomplish missions. Currently, naval surface combatants rely on single-use missile systems, with limited magazine depth and difficulties in at-sea munition replenishment, which restricts their effectiveness in extended combat operations.
The solution proposed by the Department of the Navy is an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) capable of supporting naval surface combatants through executing long-range strikes with standard munition payloads while providing tactical flexibility by operating from expeditionary locations with minimal infrastructure, or from ships without large flight decks.
Exceptional Capabilities, Minimal Infrastructure DIU’s specifications for the new drone are ambitious. „Primary” attributes include a one-way range of 1400 nautical miles when carrying payloads, or a 600 nautical mile radius. The drone must also be able to deliver 1000-pound class munitions, similar to those used by existing aircraft. This capability suggests a drone of considerable size; for comparison, an F/A-18 Super Hornet has a range of nearly 1300 nautical miles in a „clean” configuration, and a GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition weighs 1,000 pounds.
Other key requirements include mission autonomy, an open systems architecture, and the ability to operate in contested environments, all within a „cost-effective” package. Eligible solutions are expected to be ready for „significant physical prototyping” within one year of a contract award, and the competition is open to both U.S. and foreign-owned businesses.
Beyond Aircraft Carriers: An Extended Vision of the Unmanned Fleet While operating with minimal launch and recovery infrastructure is a primary attribute, functioning without a large flight deck is treated as „secondary,” alongside the ability to withstand the challenging maritime environment (with rough seas, high winds, and corrosive saltwater blasts), low latency, and a cruise speed „comparable to existing long-range strike methods.”
This DIU solicitation notably comes alongside an existing Navy program to field its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) – unmanned wingmen working in tandem with manned jets. However, these CCA drones are designed to operate from aircraft carriers, which boast massive flight decks. Companies like Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman have already been involved in developing conceptual designs for the Navy’s CCA effort, while Lockheed Martin is expected to run point on command and control.
The request for proposals highlights a paradigm shift in naval strategy, seeking to expand long-range strike capabilities not just through complex and costly systems, but also through agile, adaptable solutions capable of operating from a wider range of vessels. Responses to the solicitation are due by February 27, paving the way for a new era in naval warfare.
