DARPA Initiates “LongShot” Air-Launched Attack UAV Program Our Bureau 1668 Artist’s concept of LongShot UAV The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched LongShot program that aims to develop an air-launched unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with the ability to employ multiple air-to-air weapons. DARPA has has awarded contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman for preliminary Phase I design work. The objective is 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. 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.