Boeing’s A160T Hummingbird unmanned helicopter soon will be equipped to carry signals intelligence payloads and BAE Systems’ Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Imaging System, or ARGUS-IS, reports FlightGlobal. DARPA signed a $12.8 million contract with Boeing, which is expected to demonstrate the new capabilities by the end of May 2011. ARGUS-IS is designed to continuously track and detect thousands of targets over large areas. Boeing has already tested Hummingbird with foliage-penetrating radar. (See also Humming Along from the Daily Report archives)
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.