First Flight Brings Autonomous Forward Sensing Aircraft Closer to Fruition

The successful first flight of a General Atomics XQ-67A aircraft has taken place, less than a year and a half since being publicly announced.

It's solid headway for the program, though those not in the know can be forgiven for seeing the XQ-67A as a fighter or strike aircraft in the making. Instead, the unit is designed as part of the Air Force Research Lab's Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Platform Sharing program, particularly the "Off-Board Sensing Station" project. The design is intended to spearhead its way into contested and dangerous environments, then hoover up information for crewed aircraft safely away from the frontlines. That mission profile is still in its early stages though, so there's much to study and learn while trying to square the need for stealth and high-tech comms with the the cost demands of an "attritable" (read: disposable)

General Atomics said the program is paving the way for the mainstream combat elements of the future Air Force, thanks to its low cost and expandability over time. 

“The CCA program redefines the future of aviation and will shape the USAF acquisition model to deliver affordable combat mass to the warfighter at the speed of relevancy,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI. “Throughout our 30-year history, GA-ASI has been at the forefront of rapidly advancing unmanned aircraft systems that support our warfighters,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “The USAF is moving forward with GA-ASI due to our focused commitment to unmanned air-to-air combat operations and unmatched UAS experience, ensuring the production of the CCA aircraft at scale to deliver affordable combat mass for the warfighter.”

 As it stands today, the team is operating the XQ-67A remotely, but it sits ready for autonomous flight once they get those systems showtime-ready. 

FMI: www.ga.com