DARPA Awards Development Contract to Aurora for SideArm System

October 24, 2014

Matthew Monaghan

The Tactically Enhanced Reconnaissance Node (Tern) program (artist’s concept shown) aims to advance technology to enable a full-scale, at-sea demonstration of an R&D prototype UAS from a vessel with the same deck size as an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Aurora Flight Sciences a contract for the accelerated development of its SideArm launch and recovery system. Demonstration of the SideArm technology was a key part of Aurora's work on the Tactically Enhanced Reconnaissance Node (Tern) program. Aurora's Phase 1 Tern results indicated that SideArm could fulfill needs for aircraft launch and recovery as part of Tern’s goal of developing technology that would enable small ships to serve as mobile launch and recovery sites for medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial systems. The Aurora SideArm program includes integration and testing of SideArm technology, which would enable rapid transition to military utilization.