Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) announced Tuesday at local time that they have completed the first test flight of an unmanned fighter jet designed to operate alongside manned aircraft.
Why it’s important: The “Loyal Wingman” combat drone serves as the basis for the Boeing Airpower Teaming System developed for the company’s global defense customers. It has the potential to “revolutionize the RAAF air combat tactics book,” according to The Drive.
A tweet has been deleted or previously included from an account that has been suspended or deleted.
The big picture: According to a joint statement from Boeing and the RAAF, a Boeing test pilot was watching from a ground control station in South Australia during the autonomous plane flight.
- The Australian government has invested $ 31 million in the product, which Boeing said earlier was of interest to countries such as the United States, Reuters notes.
- It is the first military aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia in over 50 years.
What they say: Cath Roberts, Deputy Air Marshal, Chief of the RAAF Air Force, said in a statement: “The Loyal Wingman project is a search engine for the integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create intelligent human machines “.
Flashback: Boeing’s unmanned vehicle flies for the first time