The future of unmanned combat air vehicles, XQ-67A unveiled

The XQ-67A is an autonomous jet built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the Air Force Research Laboratory. It completed its maiden test flight on Feb. 28 at the General Atomics Gray Butte Flight Operations near Palmdale, California, according to the U.S. Air Force.

“Really, it’s the next phase of these uncrewed air vehicles that we are helping to develop, and the opportunities for those are really amazing when you think about it,” said James Bieryla, who works for the AFRL.

The XQ-67A stands on the shoulders of the XQ-58 Valkyrie, which the AFRL also worked on. The Air Force reports that both vehicles are part of the second generation of autonomous collaborative platforms.

The XQ-67A is called an Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS), and it is designed to augment the capabilities of its human wingmen through any number of activities, like scouting ahead for targets or working to jam enemy radar and communications. The help is needed because in the 21st century battlespace, pilots have a lot to keep their eyes on.

“The way that we prepared for combat and fought wars in the past is not the way it’s going to be in the future,” Bieryla said.

The Air Force and U.S. Navy are trying to field thousands of low-cost autonomous aircraft like the XQ-67 in the next few years, but they need to be cheap enough to lose if the mission requires it.

So, in addition to autonomous flight, the XQ-67A is being used as a platform to test how feasible it would be to produce these types of aircraft in mass.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft have enhanced capabilities like requiring no runway or a short runway. For instance, the XQ-58 Valkyrie uses a turbo-fan engine to launch off of the back of a trailer.

The Air Force has also reportedly expressed interest in the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. According to Boeing, the UCAV can travel 2,000 nautical miles and is reportedly capable of carrying a payload of up 4,400 pounds.