Kratos Demonstrates Manned + UCAV Aircraft Cooperation With UTAP-22 UCAV at China Lake

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced this week the completion of a second test flight of a jet-powered unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) on November 23, 2015. the flight that took place on the US Navy test range at China Lake, CA involved a newly developed jet-powered drone developed by Kratos, and a US Navy/Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier manned jet fighter.

The flight consisted of collaborative airborne operations with a US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier. The flight evaluated command and control through the tactical data link; execution of semi-autonomous tasks; execution of autonomous flight in formation with the AV-8B; transfer of UTAP-22 control between non-line-of-sight (over the horizon) operators in the tactical network; and transfer of control (handoff) from the tactical network to an independent dedicated control link.

UTAP-22, (unmanned tactical aerial platform) was developed by Kratos as a privately funded initiative. The recent flight was the second in the currently planned three-flight series of the unmanned aircraft. According to Kratos executives who attended the demonstration, the demonstration validates the ability of low-cost, unmanned aircraft with fighter-like-performance, to operate collaboratively with tactical manned aircraft through semi-autonomous tasking and autonomous formation/wingman modes.

link.


Yes, this is a PR. I've not found any other bits about the tests and the Kratos website is ...a PITA.

The UTAP-22 looks like derivative of their target drones. Are they using them to develop the control software and then going to use the software on another UCAV. Or do they think really 'cheap' UCAVs are the 'thing.'

Zaph: all my personal messages on here got wiped for some reason, so I didn't see a message for how to embed the pic if you sent it.

a reply to: anzha

We had to switch to a new PM database. Your old messages are here:

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