Jane Edwards 
- CTC has secured DARPA work on AI red-teaming methods
- The effort builds on CTC’s AI assurance research since 2018
- The 2027 Defense R&D Summit will explore trusted AI, autonomy and more
Concurrent Technologies Corp. has won a two-year contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop tools for assessing the reliability and security of artificial intelligence-driven military drones and robots.
Testing how AI-enabled drones and robots behave in real-world mission conditions remains a key area of defense research. Government and industry leaders will gather at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 to discuss unmanned systems, trusted AI and autonomy, quantum computing, advanced space technologies and more. Book your spot now for the CTC-backed event to hear from top Department of War and national security technology officials.
CTC said Wednesday the contract, which it won through a competitive process, is valued at nearly $2 million and gives the company its first prime role on a DARPA contract since 2012. CTC will carry out the work with its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corp.
What Is the Scope of the DARPA Contract?
Under the contract, CTC and EVC will create and apply new methods for red-teaming AI and machine learning systems.
The companies will test and validate how military drones, robots and other autonomous platforms perform in realistic operational settings to confirm that they function reliably and as designed.
CTC will build on the AI assurance research it has conducted since 2018, while EVC will contribute its production experience in materials science and engineering.
What Did CTC Officials Say About the Contract Award?
“This award is a testament to the innovative work our team has been doing in AI Assurance and our ability to deliver solutions that address critical national security challenges,” said Chris Hamilton, president and CEO of CTC.
Hamilton, who took the helm in June, added that CTC is proud to partner with DARPA on the initiative and to help advance the safety and reliability of autonomous systems for DOW.
Dave Saranchak, executive director of data science at CTC, described the project as a step toward ensuring that AI-enabled systems behave predictably in complex mission environments.
“Our team is excited to bring cutting-edge solutions to this effort and to support DARPA’s leadership in advancing AI technologies for national defense,” he said.
What Other Security Work Has CTC Taken On?
The DARPA contract adds to CTC’s work on securing AI for defense applications. The company is partnering with the U.S. Military Academy’s Robotics Research Center at West Point to build a machine learning tool that tests defense AI systems against adversarial attacks and privacy vulnerabilities.
CTC has also grown its cybersecurity work with the Marine Corps. With teammate RMC Global, the company secured a $21 million contract to protect facility-related control systems across the Marine Corps Installations Pacific region. It also won a $14.9 million award for operational technology cyber services at multiple Marine Corps installations. Separately, CTC teamed with Quantum Knight to deploy post-quantum cybersecurity technologies for government and industrial systems.
CTC has also added to its leadership team, bringing in former LMI executive Marion Kennedy as vice president of digital mission solutions.
