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F-22 Raptor pilot successfully demonstrates command of 'wingman' fighter drone in simulated combat — Anduril YFQ-44A Fury test advances USAF’s program to integrate uncrewed aircraft into fighter squadrons One more step into the future of air combat. The U.S. Air Force has just successfully conducted an airborne test where an F-22 Raptor pilot directed an Anduril YFQ-44A Fury drone during simulated combat. According to The Defense Watch, the fighter pilot gave tactical commands to the autonomous wingman, which then interpreted them into a series of tasks and flight maneuvers to achieve the desired outcome. The successful test is part of the USAF’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which seeks to integrate drones into fighter squadrons. These uncrewed aircraft must be able to respond to the fighter pilot’s tactical commands and then operate autonomously, though. That’s because fighter pilots already have a heavy workload — flying their own aircraft, managing sensor data, threat assessment, and weapons release decisions — so requiring them to manually fly a drone is next to impossible. Command integration means that the F-22 Raptor pilot could assign the Fury drone a specific tactical task, like monitoring for and engaging enemy air defenses, while they focus on the primary mission, such as taking out enemy fighters. This does not mean that the USAF can start deploying drones alongside fighter jets in frontline squadrons, though. Successful command integration is just the first of several hurdles that the program must go through before it can achieve operational status. The program needs to determine the limits of the drone’s tactical autonomy, safe flight control, and weapons authorization, all of which are separate functions that must be tested accordingly. The Air Force also needs to see how the drone performs with electronic interference, and how it could continuously operate if it cannot receive instructions due to interrupted communications. Aside from figuring out the drone’s capabilities and incorporating it into fighter doctrine, it must also be integrated into the USAF’s logistics and supply chain. This includes drone maintenance and service, weapons handling, deployment procedures, and forward airbase operations with limited infrastructure. Even though the latest test is seemingly successful, the CCA still needs to go a long way before it can start operational deployment. Nevertheless, the USAF is intent on pushing the project forward, as it sees autonomous drones as a force multiplier for crewed aircraft, allowing a single pilot to command multiple jets to achieve missions at a lower cost compared to using all-crewed aircraft. Other nations, like Sweden and China, are also experimenting with a similar concept of having a single operator take command of multiple drones, but the most significant difference of the CCA is that it focuses on air power instead of ground-based operations. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics. - TechieTwo If they can make the drone achieve all of the goals it will be a remarkable accomplishment.Reply - bit_user Where I've thought air-to-air drones could be effective is in helping to fend off non-lethal interference by hostile planes. Like when they try to force another plane off course or hit it with their jet wash. Perhaps you could use relatively inexpensive, potentially disposable drones to fend off such attempts at mission interference.Reply - Dougdell Ah the Yanks have started to catch up to the Ghostbat, I was wondering when the Wingman would take flight.Reply - timsSOFTWARE The biggest risk associated with remotely-controlled AI/drones/etc., militarily, is that - obviously if there are communications involved - it can also be hacked. Say hypothetically your defense force of the future relies on an uncrewed air force commanded from the ground. You might make it very hard to hack, but likely not impossible. And so, your entire defense could be compromised by an information signal that seems more "you" than you are - and in the AI era, that might be a lot more accessible/plausible than it would have been otherwise.\ Reply
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