An MQ-20 Avenger drone photographed at El Mirage Airfield, California, in June 2021. General Atomics recently conducted an MQ-20 flight test from an F-35 cockpit, a critical step toward manned-unmanned teaming. (US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Tabatha Arellano)

An F-35 ‘Loyal Wingman’ Drone Just Passed a Huge Test

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An F-35 pilot successfully guided an MQ-20 drone through aerial exercises—although the condition of the F-35, including whether it was flying at the time, remains unknown.

In a recent aerial demonstration, an F-35 Lightning II pilot successfully operated an MQ-20 Avenger drone from the aircraft’s cockpit tablet—a key proof of concept in the US Air Force’s “Collaborative Combat Aircraft” (CCA) program.

General Atomics announced the successful demonstration on Wednesday, citing it as a critical advance in the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T).

The test underscores arguably the most significant transition in the Air Force’s history: manned fighters are now being used to command groups of autonomous aircraft, suggesting a future where fighters are increasingly (or exclusively) used as airborne........

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