Reference News Network November 23 report. According to the U.S. "National Interest" bi-monthly website November 19 report, the concept of manned-unmanned collaboration between next-generation fighter aircraft and highly specialized "wingman" drones is largely associated with the U.S. military's futuristic "Next-Generation Air Dominance" (NGAD) program and the F/A-XX fighter program, but this concept has actually been achieved by existing aircraft.

Notably, at the end of last month, an MQ-20 "Avenger" drone completed a simulated mission under the control of an F-22 "Raptor" fighter pilot for the first time. General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems stated in a statement that the demonstration was conducted in October at the Nevada Test and Training Range, and further tests for internal R&D will follow.

The news release from General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems said: "Through Lockheed Martin's open radio architecture, the L3 Harris Technologies' 'Valkyrie' advanced tactical data link and the company's 'Panther' software-defined radio (SDR) were integrated, and all these were implemented and shared on the F-22 'Raptor' fighter. This demonstration was supported by two SDRs from L3 Harris Technologies. The first SDR was installed on General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems' MQ-20 drone, and the second was integrated into Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter." The pairing of advanced fighter platforms with highly autonomous drones is expected to become key to future fighter operations.

The unprecedented pairing of the "Raptor" and "Avenger" was made possible by the Skunk Works division of Lockheed Martin. F-22 pilots successfully commanded the drone through a dedicated flight test tablet. Sanchez, vice president and general manager of the Skunk Works division, said that this work "demonstrates the leading position of the Skunk Works in leading future air combat demonstrations with its diverse and unique professional capabilities — in future air combat, single-seat aircraft will command and control drones through a simple and intuitive interface in the cockpit."

The U.S. Air Force and Navy's respective NGAD programs and F/A-XX fighter programs may all draw on the experience gained from the ongoing "Raptor" and "Avenger" collaborative flight tests. This impressive collaborative demonstration undoubtedly paves the way for the U.S. Air Force and Navy's next-generation projects. (Translated/ Qing Songzhu)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7575781291308630537/

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