Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military
Their roles have expanded to include electronic attack, drone strikes, suppression or destruction of enemy air defense, network node or communications relay, combat search and rescue, and derivations of these themes. These unmanned systems range in cost from a few thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars, with aircraft weighing from less ...
US Air Force eyes fleet of 1,000 drone wingmen as planning …
Mar 8, 2023 · The Air Force is trying to map out how it might operate, organize and support a fleet of autonomous drones flying alongside crewed fighters.
Drones And New Technologies Are Reinventing The U.S. Air Force …
Feb 16, 2024 · A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, highly autonomous, low-cost tactical unmanned air vehicle, conducts its first test flight with a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned...
New in 2024: Air Force plans autonomous flight tests for drone …
Dec 30, 2023 · WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s plan to create a fleet of drone wingmen to fly alongside piloted fighter jets will accelerate in 2024, as the service ramps up its experimentation with...
Meet the Air Force’s secretive long-range drone that flies for days
Jul 2, 2024 · The U.S. Air Force is getting closer to realizing its vision of low-cost surveillance drones with an autonomous drone that can fly for more than three straight days.
US Air Force Picks Five Firms to Develop Drone Wingman ‘Brain’
Jul 31, 2024 · The US Air Force has awarded contracts to five companies to build the autonomy software for its future drone wingman. The names of the chosen firms were not disclosed for security reasons, but officials said they represent a mix …
Air Force bullish on drone future: 'We're gonna need them …
Sep 12, 2023 · AFA 2023 — Drones dominated the discussion during the first day of the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber conference, where officials were eager to talk up all the...
The Air Force’s Combat Drone Saga Has Taken a Dramatic Turn
Apr 30, 2024 · Once a winner is selected in 2026, the service has the ambitious goal of to begin receiving the first of 1,000 lower-cost ‘loyal wingman’ combat drones by 2028 to fly alongside its manned stealth...
Air Force faces key questions for next-gen fighters' drone …
Sep 6, 2022 · WASHINGTON — Over the past year, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has made it clear that “Loyal Wingman”-style combat drones, partnered with stealth fighters like the F-35 or its...
US Air Force general eyes more uses for drone wingmen - Defense News
Sep 6, 2023 · The U.S. Air Force should consider additional uses for its planned fleet of drone wingmen beyond just flying them alongside fighter jets, a general says.