Uncrewed logistics aircraft avionics wins NAVAIR contract
NewsApril 28, 2026
PITTSBURGH, Penn. Aerial mobility provider Near Earth Autonomy won a contract with Naval Air Systems Command -- under the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle -- Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 program -- to prototype autonomous logistics aircraft
for the U.S. Marine Corps through an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium (NASC).
Under the terms of the agreement, Near Earth -- in collaboration with partners Bell Textron, Moog Inc., and XP Services -- will supply its Uncrewed 505 aerial logistics aircraft, which combines Near Earth's Captain autonomy suite with the Bell 505 and Moog’s Genesys avionics in a system ready for tactical-edge resupply in contested environments.
The MARV-EL program is intended to develop a cargo-moving asset that can sustain forces at the tactical edge, in spots where crewed aircraft may be too vulnerable or constrained by force-availability limits and crew-rest cycles during high-tempo 24/7 ops, according to company officials.
Lyle Chamberlain, CTO of Near Earth, says: "The program is to develop an uncrewed aerial logistics aircraft for where the risk and need are highest. We are combining our Captain autonomy architecture with a proven Bell 505 platform to move cargo without putting Marines in harm's way. To be as intuitive as possible, we are designing the aircraft around existing Marine Corps workflows. Operators will be able to request, dispatch, and manage missions through familiar command-and-control pathways, including MAGTAB and MANGL integration. At the same time, cargo can be loaded with standard pallet jacks and forklifts. This approach reduces infrastructure burden and helps make autonomous resupply practical for expeditionary operations.”
Over the next 36 months, Near Earth is set to integrate and flight-test the autonomous flight system, progressing from early demonstrations to full mission capability, while helping inform future Marine Corps operational procedures for autonomous aerial
logistics.
