According to a press release by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), the company and the US Air Force (USAF) have recently completed a successful manned-unmanned teaming demonstration using an F-22 RAPTOR and an MQ-20 AVENGER unmanned aircraft. This represents another step forward on integrating autonomous systems into tactical fighter operations and in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Program.

In details, the live-flight testing, called Joint Autonomy Exercise, was conducted at Edwards Air Force Base in California, featured a human-piloted F-22 providing real-time commands to the MQ-20. This has been possible leveraging on advanced autonomy and the tactical datalink to enable coordination between the platforms. Indeed, according to GA-ASI, the AVENGER “successfully exchanged messages with the F-22 pilot through the Autonodyne Bashi Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), directing the unmanned platform to execute tactical maneuvers and adjust waypoints, and perform Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and airborne threat engagement tasks.”

The demonstration effectively underscored the capability of CCAs to serve as force multipliers for manned platforms, facilitating collaboration between autonomous systems and human pilots. These teaming concepts are designed to increase lethality, broaden sensor coverage, and improve survivability in contested environments by allowing pilots to assign tactical tasks to drones while maintaining command authority over complex decision-making.

Thanks to the success of this test, and the positive validation of the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, or A-GRA, with its YFQ-42A DARK MERLIN, GA-ASI is now in “pole position” for winning the USAF’s CCA competition. In support of its selection, the US company has logged more than 9 million flight hours with the PREDATOR line of UAV, which has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A REAPER, MQ-1C GRAY EAGLE, MQ-20 AVENGER, MQ-9B SKY/SEA GUARDIAN, XQ-67A, and YFQ-42A.

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