Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman Develop Naval Drones
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected the two contractors for the second phase of its TERN program.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency provided this artist's concept of the TERN naval unmanned aircraft. (Image: Darpa)
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency provided this artist's concept of the TERN naval unmanned aircraft. (Image: Darpa)

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has selected AeroVironment and Northrop Grumman as prime contractors for the second phase of a program to design an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capable of operating from small naval ships. The agency will choose one of the two contractors for the program’s third phase to build a full-scale demonstrator, initially for ground testing.