The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced the completion of the second phase in Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE) program on 8 January which aims to extend the capability of the US military’s existing unmanned aircraft systems to conduct dynamic, long-distance engagements of highly mobile ground and maritime targets in contested or denied battlespaces.

DARPA has selected the Raytheon Company (Tucson, Ariz.) to complete the development of the CODE software during Phase 3. Once fully demonstrated, CODE’s scalable capabilities could greatly enhance the survivability, flexibility, and effectiveness of existing air platforms, as well as reduce the development times and costs of future systems. The tests flew RQ-23 Tigershark UASs modified with CODE hardware and software to control flight direction, altitude, speed, and sensors. In Phase 3, DARPA anticipates further expanding CODE capabilities by testing greater numbers of aircraft and highly autonomous behaviours in more complex scenarios.