Startups Build and Fly Autonomous Strike Jet in 71 Days
California-based startups Divergent and Mach Industries announced the development of the Venom, an autonomous strike aircraft that went from concept to its first flight in 71 days. The rapid prototyping effort demonstrates a "hardware at software speed" approach, combining agile software engineering with advanced hardware manufacturing. This achievement is presented as a proof point for the value of agile teaming for DoD customers.
- Divergent's manufacturing process, the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS), uses AI-driven generative design software and 3D printing to create monolithic structures for the aircraft, combining parts like the fuselage and wings into single pieces. This approach is designed to replace traditional tooling-heavy aerospace manufacturing with a more flexible, software-defined method. - Mach Industries has raised a total of $185 million in funding, including a recent $100 million Series B round, and is now valued at an estimated $470 million. The company is focused on developing unmanned aerial vehicles, including the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) Viper aircraft, and aims to vertically integrate weapons, propulsion, and manufacturing. - The Venom project aligns with the Department of Defense's (DoD) strategy to accelerate the adoption of data, analytics, and AI to maintain decision superiority on the battlefield. This strategy emphasizes an agile approach with a tight feedback loop between developers and users to quickly field advanced capabilities. - This rapid development is also in line with the U.S. Air Force's VENOM (Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model) program, which is modifying F-16s to test autonomous flight and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), also known as "wingman" drones. - The project's emphasis on speed and innovation reflects broader DoD acquisition reform efforts aimed at reducing barriers for small and non-traditional businesses. These reforms favor streamlined acquisition methods like Other Transactions Authority (OTA) and prioritize commercial-off-the-shelf technologies to accelerate procurement. - The DoD's Responsible AI (RAI) Strategy and Implementation Pathway guides the ethical development and deployment of AI systems like the Venom. This framework focuses on governance, warfighter trust, and ensuring AI aligns with U.S. values throughout the entire lifecycle of a system. - The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program has a history of successfully transitioning new technologies to the DoD, with one study showing an 8:1 return on investment. Success stories include innovations in blast gauges for brain trauma assessment, advanced materials software, and unmanned systems that can operate in both air and water. - A recent executive order focused on modernizing defense acquisitions has opened a 30-day comment period for small businesses to provide direct input on shaping future procurement policies, reducing regulatory barriers, and reforming the acquisition workforce.
