DARPA and General Atomics are readying their fighter-launched LongShot missile-firing drone for flight testing. The aircraft is part of an effort to haul 4th-generation fighter planes into the 21st-century aerial battlefield.
Even though we're living in a time when 5th-generation fighters like the F-35 Lightning II are becoming fully deployed, we're already anticipating the emergence of 6th-generation fighters within the next decade. This is something of a mixed blessing because there are still fleets of 4th-generation fighters in the inventories of all the major powers. The question is, how to keep them relevant rather than becoming museum pieces?
Developed by General Atomics since 2020, LongShot combines air-to-air missiles with a jet-powered drone that can be launched from a fighter. This will allow older planes to stand off from more advanced adversaries by letting LongShot engage and fire upon them.
The flight tests are scheduled to begin in 2024 and will focus on assessing basic vehicle handling characteristics. Data gathered will be used to plan for further modifications and testing.
"We are extremely excited to get in the air," said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Aircraft Programs at GA-ASI. "Flight testing will validate digital designs that have been refined throughout the course of the project. General Atomics is dedicated to leveraging this process to rapidly deliver innovative unmanned capabilities for national defense."
Source: General Atomics