Jay Clemens
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has asked industry to suggest ideas on how to protect U.S. warfighters from airborne threats with technology.
DARPA said Thursday it published a request for information on deployable systems that can help fixed and mobile ground and naval forces to identify, track and neutralize small unmanned air systems.
Jean-Charles Lede, DARPA program manager, said the agency seeks “novel, flexible and mobile layered defense systems and component technologies to address this increasingly important issue as well as conventional threats.”
“We’re looking for scalable, modular, and affordable approaches that could be fielded within the next three to four years and could rapidly evolve with threat and tactical advancements,” Lede added.
DARPA plans to invite proposers to a workshop at its Arlington, Virginia-based offices in late September after the agency finishes review of responses to the RFI.
The agency also hopes for the information gathered from the RFI to help develop programs for mobile force protection such as counter-unmanned air systems.
