--- title: "DARPA is developing an air-launched drone missile that fires air-to-air missiles" description: "The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced it has awarded contracts as part of its nascent 'LongShot' drone program" date: "2021-02-09" modified: "2021-02-09" authors: - name: "Jared Keller" job_title: "Former Managing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/darpa-longshot-drone-missiles/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Drones" - "Missiles" - "Tech & Tactics" - "Weapons" --- # DARPA is developing an air-launched drone missile that fires air-to-air missiles ![]() *Artist’s concept of LongShot UAV Artist’s concept of LongShot UAV (DARPA)* The Defense Department is currently developing what can best be described as an air-launched combat drone bristling with its own arsenal of air-to-air missiles and designed to take our enemy aircraft at a distance. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) [announced]() on Monday that it has awarded contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman as part of its nascent 'LongShot' program to "develop a novel UAV that can significantly extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft." "Current air superiority concepts rely on advanced manned fighter aircraft to provide a penetrating counter air capability to effectively deliver weapons," DARPA [said]() in a statement. "It is envisioned that LongShot will increase the survivability of manned platforms by allowing them to be at standoff ranges far away from enemy threats, while an air-launched LongShot UAV efficiently closes the gap to take more effective missile shots." Translation: LongShot drones will act as the first line of attack against enemy aircraft, striking with air-to-air missiles from extra-long ranges in order to reduce the risk of a counterattack against airborne U.S. military assets as they engage in specialized missions downrange. “The LongShot program changes the paradigm of air combat operations by demonstrating an unmanned, air-launched vehicle capable of employing current and advanced air-to-air weapons,” DARPA LongShot program manager Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun [said]() in a statement. “LongShot will disrupt traditional incremental weapon improvements by providing an alternative means of generating combat capability.” The additional range offered by the LongShot program would certainly prove a desirable asset to U.S. military: As The War Zone rightly [points out](), LongShot comes as both the Navy and Air Force are working together to develop the AIM-260, a new long-range air-to-air missile [designed]() to extend the range of traditional combat aircraft. But rather than simply extending a traditional aircraft's reach, the LongShot drone would only actually fire off its arsenal of missiles when its relatively close to a target, minimizing an enemy's ability to evade an incoming weapon and vastly increasing the likelihood of a kill, a capability detailed in DARPA's fiscal year 2021 budget request. "An air system using multi-modal propulsion could capitalize upon a slower speed, higher fuel-efficient air vehicle for ingress, while retaining highly energetic air-to-air missiles for endgame target engagements," [according]() to the DARPA budget request. "First, the weapon system will have a much-increased range over their legacy counterparts for transit to an engagement zone. Second, launching air-to-air missiles closer to the adversary increases energy in terminal flight, reduces reaction time, and increases probability of kill." LongShot isn't the only airborne shit-kicker on DARPA's to-do list: the agency originally proposed the program alongside GunSlinger, another novel weapons system that can [best be described]() as an unmanned flying machine gun capable of loitering above potential targets for counterinsurgency operations, close air support, and air-to-air engagements. The LongShot program calls for $22 million in funding for its first year of development, [according]() to the agency's fiscal year 2021 budget request. For more on the program and its history, I highly recommend [this great piece]() from our colleagues at The War Zone. ***Related: [DARPA wants to build a flying machine gun]()*** ## Author Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Facebook]() [LinkedIn]() [Instagram]()