The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency consistently offers leading-edge product developments that often begin with military applications before transferring the technology to the mainstream. 

While that’s the case with a lot of imaging and material technologies, their latest announcement will hopefully remain with the Department of Defense.

DARPA recently awarded $22 million in contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to develop what is being described as an air-launched combat drone with its own arsenal of air-to-air missiles. 

Basically, the goal of the LongShot program will be to develop a front-line UAV that can take the fight to incoming air strikes.