The pilot of an F-22 just controlled a drone wingman in flight

The Air Force just took a notable step toward its vision of pairing fighter pilots with autonomous wingmen. During an October test over Nevada, an F-22 pilot used a simple tablet to direct an MQ-20 Avenger drone—an early, real-world look at manned-unmanned teaming that defense contractors have been racing to deliver. The demonstration, unveiled as companies compete for the service’s future drone wingman program, shows how quickly this technology is advancing and why the F-22 remains central to shaping the next decade of air combat. Thomas Novelly with Defense One has the full story.

Thomas Novelly

Defense One

View Source