F-22 DIRECTS COLLABORATIVE COMBAT AIRCRAFT IN AIRBORNE TACTICAL-CONTROL DEMONSTRATION

LANGLEY AFB, Va., Oct. 21 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command issued the following press release:

The Department of the Air Force executed airborne tactical command and in-flight control of a YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft from an F-22 Raptor earlier this month, advancing efforts to rapidly develop, evaluate and deliver mission-autonomy capabilities to the warfighter.

During the demonstration, an F-22 pilot served as an airborne "quarterback," issuing high-level tactical directives to a single YFQ-44A. The aircraft's onboard autonomy software interpreted and executed those directives in real time, conducting dynamic flight maneuvers and simulated combat tasks.

"This achievement demonstrates what is possible when we are aligne...