Much commotion was made online and in the media over the holiday season regarding reported sightings of unmanned aircraft in the U.S. airspace. In particular, a number of testimonies came from citizens in New Jersey spotting drones in the skies near Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. In news conferences, the Department of Defense, through press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, insisted that these vessels were not the property of the U.S. government or military.
While Ryder didn’t rule out the notion that they’re the property of another nation operating with ill intent — “Is it possible that some of those drones could be up to malign activity? It’s entirely possible,” he said in December — the Pentagon’s official position is that the drones are more than likely recreational and deployed by hobbyists, according to Fox News.
Nonetheless, even if most or all of the New Jersey drones were the work of harmless users cruising their toys around in the sky, the DOD is taking unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, and their role in this new era of warfare extremely seriously.
At the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 23, DOD officials like Steven Morani, acting assistant secretary of defense for sustainment, will discuss the incubation of cutting edge defense tech such as unmanned systems and how the U.S. is staying at the forefront of the UAS fight against nations like China. Join us for this important dialogue!
Counter Unmanned Systems Strategy
Signaling its seriousness about drones, in parallel to its comments about the New Jersey sightings, the DOD last month announced the publication of its classified Strategy for Countering Unmanned Systems. While under lock and key, the broad strokes of the strategy include fortifying educational resources about UAS, strengthening both offensive and defensive capabilities and quickly prototyping and building new systems in the CUAS realm.
10 Critical DOD Drone Efforts
The Pentagon’s commitment doesn’t stop there. Below you’ll find 10 of the U.S. military’s most prominent drone programs and technologies.
MQ-9 Reaper Program
- Details: The MQ-9 Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft primarily used by the U.S. Air Force for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision strike missions. It has a wingspan of 66 feet and can carry a variety of payloads, including Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs.
- Status: Active. The MQ-9 continues to be a critical asset in U.S. military operations worldwide.
Skyborg Program
- Details: Skyborg is an Air Force Research Laboratory initiative aimed at developing autonomous unmanned combat aerial vehicles, or UCAVs, that can team with manned aircraft. The program focuses on creating AI-driven drones capable of independent decision-making during missions.
- Status: Active. As of December 2022, the program has conducted successful test flights, including autonomous operations with the X-62A VISTA aircraft.
Gremlins Program
- Details: Managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Gremlins program aims to develop low-cost, reusable unmanned aerial systems that can be launched and recovered in mid-air by a host aircraft. The objective is to enhance operational flexibility and reduce the risks to manned aircraft.
- Status: Active. The program has achieved significant milestones, including successful airborne recovery tests.
Valkyrie (XQ-58A)
- Details: The XQ-58A Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by Kratos in partnership with the AFRL. It is designed to function as a “loyal wingman,” operating alongside manned fighter jets to perform a variety of missions, including surveillance and electronic warfare.
- Status: Active. The Valkyrie has undergone multiple test flights, demonstrating its capabilities in autonomous operations.
Perdix Micro-Drones
- Details: Perdix micro-drones are small, expendable drones designed to operate in large swarms for missions such as surveillance and electronic warfare. They are notable for their collective behaviors, allowing them to adapt to dynamic environments.
- Status: Active. The program has conducted successful swarm demonstrations, showcasing the drones’ ability to perform coordinated tasks.
Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Details: TUAS encompasses a range of drones used by the U.S. Army for tactical-level ISR support. Notable systems include the RQ-7 Shadow, which provides real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.
- Status: Active. The Army continues to utilize and upgrade these systems to enhance battlefield awareness.
Ghost Bat (MQ-28)
- Details: Formerly known as the Loyal Wingman program, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an autonomous combat drone developed by Boeing Australia in collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force. It is designed to support manned aircraft in various missions, including ISR and electronic warfare.
- Status: Active. The program has achieved several milestones, including successful test flights.
Liberty Lifter Program
- Details: The Liberty Lifter is a DARPA initiative focused on developing a long-range, low-cost, heavy-lift seaplane capable of transporting large payloads over long distances. The program aims to enhance strategic mobility by enabling operations in maritime environments without relying on traditional runways.
- Status: Active. DARPA is in the early stages of development, working on design concepts and feasibility studies.
Black Hornet Nano
- Details: The Black Hornet Nano is a palm-sized reconnaissance drone used by military forces for situational awareness, particularly in urban environments. It provides real-time video and still images to operators, aiding in mission planning and threat assessment.
- Status: Active. The U.S. Army and other branches continue to deploy these drones in various operational settings.
Project Overmatch
- Details: Led by the U.S. Navy, Project Overmatch aims to develop a networked force by integrating manned and unmanned systems across domains. The initiative focuses on enhancing command, control and communication to achieve decision superiority in complex environments.
- Status: Active. The Navy is actively working on developing and testing the necessary technologies to achieve the project’s objectives.
These programs represent a broad spectrum of the Department of Defense’s efforts to advance unmanned and autonomous systems across various domains.
For any members of the defense industrial base interested in producing drone technology or compatible systems, the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Defense R&D Summit is a must-attend. The event will cover all of the important defense technologies of the moment and will be a powerful learning and networking opportunity. Register here!
