The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced that it will develop an unmanned fighter aircraft with “air-to-air combat” capabilities, with the goal of expanding the aircraft’s operational range and keeping operators out of harm’s way. This is DARPA’s drawing of the air combat drone concept. (DARPA website)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is responsible for the development of advanced equipment for the U.S. military, has announced that it will develop an unmanned fighter aircraft with “air-to-air combat” capabilities, with the goal of expanding the aircraft’s operational range and keeping operators out of harm’s way.
DARPA issued a statement on February 8 that the U.S. Department of Defense research department is launching the “LongShot” (LongShot) program, the goal is to develop a new unmanned fighter aircraft that can be launched from the air, can carry a variety of air-to-air weapons, and can target enemy aircraft on their own, is expected to expand the range of engagement, improve mission efficiency and reduce the risk to manned aircraft.
The statement also noted that DARPA has signed preliminary design contracts with General Atomics, arms dealer Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corporation for the first phase. Once this phase is complete, a future phase is to allow a full-scale system to be developed and flight tested, including demonstrating its ability to fire weapons in operational conditions.
DARPA’s air warfare drone as drawn in 2017, when the idea of an internal bomb bay was not yet available. (DARPA official website)
Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun, DARPA program manager, said the Long Shot program changes the paradigm of today’s air combat operations by demonstrating an unmanned aircraft capable of employing today’s advanced air-to-air weapons. It will break with traditional incremental weapons improvements by providing an alternative means of generating combat capability.
Current air superiority (air superiority) relies on advanced manned fighters to provide the ability to burst through enemy air defense positions and defeat enemy aircraft coming to intercept. Predictably, unmanned fighters such as the Long Shot can serve as a vanguard force to suppress various enemy air units and allow piloted fighters to engage targets from greater distances and away from the enemy threat.
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