DARPA, AFRL Select Rockwell Collins for QNT: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Research Lab have awarded Rockwell Collins the second phase of the Quint Networking Technology program, valued at $19 million. Defense officials expect the QNT program to develop a robust and affordable mini networked data link technology for precision strike against time-critical mobile targets. It could be used on a variety of weapons, including tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, and by ground troops.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.