Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) announced on Tuesday local time that they have completed the first test flight of a pilotless jet fighter designed to operate alongside manned aircraft.
Why it matters: The combat drone “Loyal Wingman” serves as the basis for the Boeing Airpower Teaming system being developed for the company’s global defense customers. It has the potential to “revolutionize the playbook of the RAAF’s aerial combat tactics,” said The Drive.
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The big picture: According to a joint statement by Boeing and the RAAF, a Boeing test pilot supervised the flight of the autonomous aircraft from a ground control station in the outback of South Australia.
- The Australian government has invested $ 31 million in the product, which Boeing previously said has drawn interest from the US, among others, Reuters notes.
- It is the first military aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia in over 50 years.
What they say: Air Vice Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Chief of Air Force Capability, said in a statement, “The Loyal Wingman project is a Boy Scout integrating autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create smart human-machine teams.”
Flashback: Boeing’s unmanned vehicle is flying for the first time