The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants $13.7 million to begin development of a new flying weapons system.
The new system was outlined in the agency’s budget request for the 2021 Fiscal Year. And it was detailed in a report by The Drive on Monday.
The project is dubbed “Gunslinger” and “will develop and demonstrate technologies to enable an air-launched tactical range missile system capable of multi-mission support,” according to the budget proposal.
"This system will utilize the high maneuverability of a missile system coupled with a gun system capable of scalable effects and engagement of multiple targets."
The Drive noted no specifics were outlined as to the overall size of the weapons system DARPA is envisioning. The budget request also does not say what types of aircraft would carry these gun-armed "missiles.
"These mission sets addressed (by Gunslinger) will include counter-insurgency (COIN) operations, close air support (CAS) and air-to-air engagements," according to budget documents. "The program will address the system and technology issues required to enable development of a robust missile system considering (1) vehicle concepts possessing the required aerodynamic, propulsion, and payload capacity for a wide operational envelope, (2) the algorithms that support maneuvering and target recognition to enable expedited command decision making for selecting and engaging targets and (3) approaches to incorporating modularity of design to reduce cost throughout the design and development process."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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