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Analytics / The industry ledger

The industry ledger

Every dated fact behind the news — acquisitions, contracts, certifications, first flights, appointments — one stream, cut any way you need: by theme, country, sector, program or date. A filtered view is a URL: bookmark it and it becomes your standing query.

The industry ledger is an Analytics feature

Ask questions the news pages can’t answer — every acquisition touching one country this year, every certification in a sector, every appointment on a program’s suppliers — each answer sourced, dated and linked. A worked example runs below.

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Worked example — Corporate events across the industry, last 6 months. Analytics subscribers set every filter.
All events · DARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane · all time

8 facts on record

The table pans sideways — swipe for the rest of the columns ›
DateEventWhat happenedCompanyProgram
26/06/2025 Flight test milestone AeroVironment's Wildcat UAS completed VTOL-to-forward-flight transitions and validated core flight and propulsion systems under DARPA's EVADE programme. AeroVironment, Inc.DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA ANCILLARY X-PlaneAeroVironment JUMP 20
01/03/2025 Flight test milestone Sikorsky's Nomad 50 prototype, with a 10.3 ft wingspan, completed extended flight testing in March 2025. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin companyDARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Sikorsky NomadDARPA ANCILLARY X-PlaneSikorsky S-70A Black Hawk
01/01/2025 Flight test milestone Sikorsky Innovations completed over 40 take-offs and landings and 30 helicopter-to-airplane mode transitions with its rotor blown wing UAS prototype in January 2025. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky Innovations HEXSikorsky NomadDARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane
28/05/2024 Competition downselect DARPA down-selected AeroVironment to continue development of its Wildcat VTOL UAS X-Plane design for the ANCILLARY program. AeroVironment, Inc.DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA ANCILLARY X-PlaneAeroVironment RQ-20 PumaAeroVironment JUMP 20
22/05/2024 Competition downselect DARPA selected Northrop Grumman for ANCILLARY Phase 1b, awarding a 10-month air vehicle design and system technology maturation contract. Northrop Grumman Aerospace SystemsDARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane
22/05/2024 Flight test milestone Sikorsky conducted flight tests of its twin-proprotor rotor blown wing VTOL UAS proof-of-concept to verify vertical launch, landing stability, and cruise efficiency for DARPA ANCILLARY. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin companyDARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Sikorsky NomadDARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane
13/07/2023 Contract award DARPA awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to design an autonomous VTOL uncrewed aircraft system for the ANCILLARY demonstrator programme. Northrop Grumman Aerospace SystemsDARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane
22/06/2023 Competition downselect DARPA selected nine companies including AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman, and Sikorsky for Phase Ia of the ANCILLARY VTOL X-Plane programme to develop conceptual designs. DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyAeroVironment, Inc.AVX Defense Technologies (was AVX Aircraft Company) DARPA ANCILLARY X-Plane