Boeing and the Australian Government are developing a concept demonstrator UAV system capable of team working with manned aircraft.
The Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program will be part of the R&D effort towards producing the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, an unmanned aircraft designed to complement and extend airborne missions through teaming up with existing military aircraft.
A model of the demonstrator to be developed as part of the Loyal Wingman program was revealed at the Australian International Airshow in Sydney this week.
First flight for the demonstrator is planned for 2020.
The UAV being developed will provide fighter-like performance, measure 38ft long (11.7m) and be able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles
The aircraft will feature integrated sensor packages onboard to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and electronic warfare. It will also use artificial intelligence to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft.
Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems said, “The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces’ manned/unmanned missions.
“With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing’s portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.”
Marc Allen, president of Boeing International said, “This aircraft is a historic endeavor for Boeing. Not only is it developed outside the United States, it is also designed so that our global customers can integrate local content to meet their country-specific requirements.
