Loyal Wingman (Page 2)

Updated on Sep 8, 2025

The U.S. Navy has taken an important step forward toward acquiring new carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) type drones with contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.

Navy Carrier-Based ‘Loyal Wingman’ Drone Development Suddenly Pushes Forward (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 5, 2025

YFQ-42 ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft Has Flown For The First Time

Posted on Aug 27, 2025

Naval aviators need to be able to trust any future drone wingmen as much as their human counterparts, a U.S. Navy strike fighter tactics instructor has told TWZ.

Navy Fighter Pilots Need To Gain Trust In Pilotless Wingmen By Actually Flying With Them

Posted on Aug 22, 2025

XQ-58

More MQ-58 Variants In The Works After Marines Move To Make Valkyrie A Full Program Of Record

Posted on Aug 12, 2025

Another chinese stealthy tailless combat jet emerges.

New Chinese Stealth Tactical Jet Breaks Cover

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Aug 5, 2025

XQ-58

XQ-58 Valkyrie Heading To European Market With Kratos-Airbus Team-Up

Posted on Jul 18, 2025

F-22 Raptors Will Be First To Control ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Updated on Jul 3, 2025

MQ-28

MQ-28 Ghost Bats Controlled From E-7 Wedgetail In Loyal Wingman Test

Posted on Jun 19, 2025

Royal Navy wants to arm carriers with drones and long-range missiles

Royal Navy To Arm Its Carriers With Long-Range Missiles

Posted on Jun 3, 2025

We now have our first look at an actual prototype of General Atomics' YFQ-42A 'fighter drone.'

Our First Look At The YFQ-42 ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Updated on May 19, 2025

The future of the Navy NGAD crewed aircraft program remains in limbo.

Fate Of Navy’s F/A-XX Future Fighter Is In Limbo (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on May 14, 2025

Air-Launched ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft Being Eyed By Air Force

Updated on May 13, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavier focus on commercial-off-the-shelf components, than the service’s existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.

USAF Wants Collaborative Aircraft Fleet To Stress Parts Commonality For Forward Operations

Posted on May 9, 2025

Two new drone designs, Apollo and Athena, are in development at Kratos with a particular focus on collaborative operations with other crewed and uncrewed aircraft, and an eye toward sales in Europe.

Two Secretive Loyal Wingman Drones Aimed At European Market In Development From Kratos

Updated on May 9, 2025

Raytheon has begun test flights of its compact PhantomStrike radar, which features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Most significantly, the manufacturer claims that PhantomStrike — which has already been ordered by Poland — brings all the benefits of an AESA antenna at a much lower price point than other radars in its class.

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

Posted on May 6, 2025

XQ-58

Kratos Close To “A Couple” Final Versions Of XQ-58 Valkyrie For The Marines

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on May 5, 2025

The U.S. Air Force and Anduril have offered what appears to be the first look at a "production representative" example of the YFQ-44A drone, also known as Fury.

Our First Look At The YFQ-44A ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Updated on May 1, 2025

XQ-58

Making Sure Wingman Drones Don’t Hit Their Crewed Companions Still A Challenge Marines Say

Posted on Apr 30, 2025

XQ-58

XQ-58 Valkyrie With Built-In Landing Gear Shown In New Rendering

Updated on Apr 16, 2025

MQ-28

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Is Of “Strong Interest” To The U.S. Navy

Updated on Apr 15, 2025

Navy Won’t Scramble To Field Loyal Wingman Drones Like The Air Force

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 8, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has designated the drones that General Atomics and Anduril are currently developing as part of the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program as the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively.

‘Fighter Drone’ Designations Officially Assigned To Collaborative Combat Aircraft By USAF

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

Indian Naval Collaborative Drone Concept Unveiled

Posted on Feb 10, 2025

U.S. Navy officials have laid out several priorities they say are key to ensuring the service's carrier air wings will be able to succeed in future conflicts, especially a high-end fight in the Pacific.

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's XQ-67A drone is set to receive modifications and upgrades to demonstrate its ability to perform certain missions as part of a program called Demon Ape.

XQ-67 Getting Overhauled With New Capabilities As Part Of Demon Ape Program

Posted on Jan 24, 2025

F-35 AI-Enabled Drone Controller Capability Successfully Demonstrated

Posted on Jan 23, 2025

A greater focus on long range strike capabilities is among the alternatives the U.S. Air Force is considering to a costly new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet as part of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. A lower-cost design focused primarily on acting as a 'quarterback' for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones is also still on the table.

$20 Billion Price Tag To Complete Development Of USAF’s Next Generation Fighter (Updated)

Posted on Jan 13, 2025

The second tranche of U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones could be between 20 to 30 percent more expensive per airframe than those in the first batch.

Second Batch Of Air Force CCA Drones Could Be 20 To 30 Percent Pricier Than The First

Posted on Jan 10, 2025

A human controller flying in an L-39 Albatros jet ordered a pair of L-29 Delfin jets with artificial intelligence (AI) driven flight technology acting as surrogates for advanced drones to engage simulated enemy fighters in a series of recent flight tests.

Skunk Works Tests See AI-Enabled L-29 Jets Fly Mock Air-To-Air Mission On Orders From Aerial Controller

Posted on Nov 23, 2024

A unit charged with exploring how the U.S. Air Force will utilize its future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) is now set to get actual examples of the first tranche of those drones to experiment with.

Extra Collaborative Combat Aircraft Purchases To Give USAF Test Unit A Boost

Posted on Nov 19, 2024

The U.S. Navy recently used a drone control system now being installed on all its supercarriers to operate an actual uncrewed aircraft, a General Atomics Avenger, for the first time.

MQ-20 Avenger First Drone Flown Using Navy’s Carrier-Based Control System

Posted on Nov 8, 2024

B-21 Taking On Some Of NGAD Fighter’s Missions On The Table Air Force Says

Posted on Oct 26, 2024

German P-8s To Fly From U.K. To Help Counter Russian Submarine Threat

Posted on Oct 23, 2024

The U.S. Marine Corps says it has demonstrated new capabilities for operating future drones with high degrees of autonomy in expeditionary operations with another test flight of one of its stealthy XQ-58 Valkyries.

XQ-58

Third Marine XQ-58 Valkyrie Flight Test Uses Link 16 For Control

Posted on Sep 26, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is interested in adding an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar to its X-62A test jet. The radar is part of larger plans to acquire a new modular sensor suite for the uniquely modified F-16 specifically to help expand its ability to support advanced autonomy developments.

New Radar Sought To Help X-62A Test Jet Take Next Leap In Autonomy Testing

Posted on Sep 24, 2024

Collins Aerospace has put forward a vision for what a high-end air combat engagement between the U.S. and Chinese armed forces, with the American side employing crewed fighters and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingmen, could look like in the future.

What American Fighters And Their Drone Wingmen Fighting Chinese Jets Might Look Like

Posted on Sep 20, 2024

The U.S. Air Force says the once-secretive Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) drone program has been fully folded into the service's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) effort. General Atomics has already disclosed that its current CCA design is derived from the XQ-67 drone it developed for OBSS.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program ‘Ingesting’ Modular Chassis Concept Pioneered By XQ-67 Drone

Updated on Sep 20, 2024

Lockheed Martin's losing entry in the first increment of the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone program was a very stealthy design, the head of the famed Skunk Works advanced projects division has disclosed. The company is now expecting future CCA increments to revolve around proposals that might lean closer to not just being lower-cost, but maybe even expendable, to support a concept of operations that requires tolerance for very high losses.

Skunk Works’ Losing Loyal Wingman Drone Was Very Stealthy “Gold Plated” Design

Posted on Sep 18, 2024

The U.S. Air Force's still evolving requirements for a next-generation aerial refueling 'system of systems' will directly impact the service's reassessment of plans for a new sixth-generation stealth 'fighter.' The Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) effort will also inform work on a second tranche of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones.

Future Stealth Tanker Plans Tied To NGAD 6th Generation Fighter’s Fate

Posted on Sep 16, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is re-examining the very core of its requirements for a new sixth-generation stealth combat jet as part of its ongoing review of that element of the larger Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.

Air Force “Starting At The Beginning” With NGAD 6th Gen Fighter Requirements Review

Posted on Sep 4, 2024

The U.S. Air Force recently awarded contracts to two companies for work on SHARK 'buddy store' podded aerial refueling systems able to work with aircraft that use the boom method to get gas in flight.

Aerial Refueling Boom Pods That Could Go On F-15s In The Works

Posted on Sep 3, 2024

The War Zone delved into the digital engineer and advanced manufacturer techniques behind the stealthy Model 437 Vanguard aircraft, and more, an interview with Colin Miller, Vice President for Engineering within Northrop Grumman's aeronautics sector.

Everything We Just Learned About The Model 437 Vanguard Technology Demonstrator Jet

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 30, 2024

The first known prototype of the Model 437 from Northrop Grumman subsidiary Scaled Composites has flown.

Stealthy High-Tech Model 437 Vanguard Jet Has Flown For The First Time (Updated)

Posted on Aug 29, 2024

Model 407 optionally manned drone Northrop grumman

Northrop’s Stealthy Loyal Wingman Drone Breaks Cover And It Has A Cockpit

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Aug 9, 2024

XQ-58

New XQ-58 Valkyrie Variant With Built-In Landing Gear To Fly Soon

Posted on Aug 8, 2024

XQ-58

XQ-58 Valkyrie Can Now Take Off From Runways Thanks To New Launch Trolly System

Posted on Jul 3, 2024

The US Air Force is taking a second look at the crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet it is developing under the Next Generation Air Dominance initiative to see where costs could be cut, even at the cost of losing certain capabilities.

Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter’s Future Increasingly Uncertain

Posted on Jul 2, 2024

Anduril and General Atomics have shared new details about progress and challenges, including on production and autonomy issues, as part of the Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

Construction Of First Collaborative Combat Aircraft Drone Has Begun At General Atomics

Posted on Jul 1, 2024

Navy’s Vision For Disposable Carrier-Based Loyal Wingman Drones Comes Into Focus

Posted on Apr 10, 2024

Drone maker Kratos has disclosed the existence of work on an MQ-58B variant of its Valkyrie drone with electronic attack capabilities for the US Marine Corps.

XQ-58

MQ-58B Electronic Attack-Enabled Version Of Valkyrie Drone For USMC Revealed

Posted on Apr 3, 2024

XQ-58

How Marine MQ-9s Will Adapt For A Pacific Fight, Pave Way For Future Drones

By James Deboer

Posted on Mar 28, 2024

MQ-28

Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Getting Facility To Ramp-Up Production In Australia

Posted on Mar 28, 2024

Drone maker Kratos has disclosed new details about its growing XQ-58 family, which now includes at least five distinct variants.

OBSS

XQ-58 Valkyrie Drone Family Has Grown To Five Variants

Posted on Mar 21, 2024

XQ-58

XQ-58 Valkyrie Completes Second Flight With The Marine Corps

By Oliver Parken

Posted on Mar 2, 2024

As part of the announcement of the first flight its new XQ-67A drone, the Air Force has shared new information about its Off-Board Sensing Station program and revealed the existence of a companion Off-Board Weapon Station concept.

OBSS

The XQ-67A Has A Secretive, Higher-Performance, Deadly Cousin

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 1, 2024

OBSS

XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station Drone Has Flown (Updated)

Posted on Feb 29, 2024

This Is Saab’s Concept For A Supersonic, Stealthy Loyal Wingman Drone

Posted on Feb 10, 2024

OBSS

Low-Cost Infrared Search And Track System For Aircraft Unveiled By Anduril

Posted on Feb 8, 2024

OBSS

General Atomics’ XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station Drone Breaks Cover

By Jamie Hunter, Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 7, 2024

Defense contractor Anduril has formally announced that it is one of five companies working on the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) advanced drone program.

Anduril Is Helping The Air Force To Develop Its Loyal Wingman Drone

Posted on Jan 25, 2024

A new draft of the annual U.S. defense policy bill for the 2024 Fiscal Year, which looks set to pass in Congress and become law, would require the Air Force and the Navy to provide new details about the expected costs and capabilities of their future Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones.

Loyal Wingman Drone Cost, Capability Concerns Emerge In Defense Bill

Updated on Dec 8, 2023

XQ-58

“Multiple” New Versions Of The XQ-58 Valkyrie In The Works