General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed a new, key demonstration on July 8 when one of its MQ-20 AVENGER jet-powered, low observable, uncrewed aircraft demonstrated the ability of a CCA, controlled beyond-line-of-sign in a sensor Emission Control (EMCON) environment, to take part in air combat and conduct beyond line-of-sight kinetic engagements.

The MQ-20 AVENGER is not the actual platform selected by the USAF to become the first “uncrewed fighter” under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Increment 1 project, but is a surrogate platform that has several years of key enabling work to its name. It has facilitated a number of key firsts, including flying with the Skyborg autonomy core.

For this demonstration, acting as CCA surrogate, the AVENGER was controlled though Tactical Autonomy Core Ecosystem (TacACE). The system allowed mission control of the airborne MQ-20 and built real time situational-awareness by merging the AVENGER’s own sensor output and “global” sensor fusion coming from other platforms.

The MQ-20 operated autonomously but under remote control through forward edge distributed C2 “nodes” powered by OPTIX.C2 and OMNIVIEW software. OPTIX.C2 is a General Atomics-Intelligence provided low-latency, localized C2 solution that ensures reliable networking into the broader operational picture, enabling real-time coordination across multiple domains.

The MQ-20 was able to fuse information from its own sensors with other data coming through the network, supporting the generation of a complete real-time threat picture and facilitating coordination of effects from ISR collection to kinetic, combat taskings.

The MQ-20 was assigned to a zone and autonomously conducted Combat Air Patrol orbits through it, gathering and collating the air picture in real time. During the mission it operated alongside 3 other CCA (although only digitally simulated) under control of a single operator. The single controller was able to send the CCA forth to investigate multiple targets of interest and, upon successful identification of a threat, the MQ-20 was instructed to initiate a Beyond Line-of-Sight engagement.

The AVENGER maneuvered into position, “simulated missile launches, assessed battle damage, and returned to CAP without additional operator input”.

This key progress further cements GA-ASI’s capabilities and will benefit from ongoing work with the actual GA-ASI CCA Increment 1 platform, the YFQ-42A. The other aircraft selected under CCA Increment 1 is the YFQ-44A by Anduril.

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