Anecdotal evidence suggests that for airborne platforms the answer to that question is: yes. Autonomy is on the rise – and the sense of excitement about RAAF’s Loyal Wingman project is palpable with numerous analysts already convinced that this is the future of air combat. As for the other two uncrewed platforms being acquired that need a pilot in the loop – MQ-4C Triton and MQ-9B Sky Guardian – the customer seems to have lost interest, doing the minimum necessary to keep them ticking over, but with no sense of enthusiasm, let alone urgency or purpose.
The optimism surrounding the Airborne Teaming System (ATS) – the clunky name for Boeing Australia’s advanced, autonomous, jet-powered, fighter-like drone – seems fully justified, helped by the fact that these are the first combat aircraft designed and built in Australia since the Second World War. Two of them are conducting flight trials of increasing complexity and another four are under construction. Early flight dynamics results are apparently confirming parameters of speed, range and manoeuvrability.
Given the increasing fidelity and reliability of modelling and simulation, the predicted system performance of the ATS is also very encouraging. The basic idea is that the uncrewed aircraft will work in conjunction with their far more expensive and valuable – in terms of human life – platforms such as F-35s and Super Hornets – accompany them on missions, gather data, jam hostile radar and communications and ultimately attack targets. Being uncrewed and relatively low cost they could be sacrificed for the greater good – unless of course they ever become self-aware and turn on their human developers.
To be able to operate with crewed platforms they must be able to keep up with them – hence basic design decisions about a jet powered drone with a range of 3,700km and internal payload bay. Modelling is confirming performance expectations. On December 8, Boeing announced: “Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have advanced the operational readiness of the Airpower Teaming System aircraft, successfully demonstrating multiple payloads, semi-autonomous behaviours and crewed-uncrewed teaming in the digital environment.
This is an excerpt from APDR. To read the full story, click here.
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