UAS dubbed "Loyal Wingman" gets first high-speed taxi test by Boeing, Royal Australian air force
NewsDecember 22, 2020
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) report completion of the first high-speed taxi test of its Loyal Wingman unmanned aerial system (UAS) in preparation for its first flight; Boeing says that the company's test personnel monitored the uncrewed aircraft’s performance and instrumentation from a ground-control station to verify the functionality while the vehicle reached accelerated speeds.
The Loyal Wingman had undergone its first demo under its own power during October 2020.
According to information from Boeing, the Loyal Wingman is aimed at complementing and extending airborne missions through smart teaming with existing military aircraft. At the time of launch in early 2019, Boeing stated that the Loyal Wingman aircraft -- which will be part of what it calls the Boeing Airpower Teaming System -- will provide fighter-like performance, measuring 38 feet long (11.7 metres) and able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles; integrate sensor packages onboard to support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and electronic warfare (EW); and use artificial intelligence (AI) to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft.
During the 2019 launch, Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems, stated: “The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces’ manned/unmanned missions. With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing’s portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.”
