Image: General Atomics Aeronatical Systems
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the United States Air Force have successfully demonstrated advanced Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUT) between an F-35 Lightning II and an MQ-20 Avenger unmanned jet, marking a significant step toward operational integration of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
The flight test, as per a recent press statement, brought together GA-ASI, the F-35 Joint Program Office, the 309th Software Engineering Group, Lockheed Martin, and Autonodyne, among others. The MQ-20 flew equipped with GA-ASI’s TacACE (Tactical Autonomy Ecosystem) software, built on the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), enabling rapid integration between the two platforms.
The test employed Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications via a tactical proliferated low Earth orbit data link. An F-35 pilot sent autonomy commands to the airborne MQ-20 using a tablet-based interface, directing tactical manoeuvres, waypoint adjustments, and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) track data sharing. The exchange confirmed that hardware, software, and communications systems can operate seamlessly across platforms.
GA-ASI Vice President of Advanced Programs Michael Atwood commented: “This significant warfighter integration milestone is the beginning of operational readiness for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft and demonstrates the near-term opportunities for force integration.” Atwood added: “Events like these drive home GA-ASI’s continued commitment to adoption of next-generation data links, mission autonomy, and unmanned air combat operations.”
The MQ-20 Avenger has served as a CCA surrogate for more than five years, providing GA-ASI with an extended testbed ahead of its purpose-built XQ-67A and YFQ-42A platforms. The demonstration validates that MUT is moving from concept into practice, with the systems required for large-scale force integration now proven in flight.
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