The pilot of a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighter successfully maneuvered an MQ-20 Avenger unmanned jet during a demonstration of human-machine flight cooperation on October 21, according to drone maker General Atomics.
The MQ-20 Avenger is designed for stealth and has the capability to transport smaller drones in addition to weapons using its internal storage. It features unique engine designs that make it difficult to detect with radar or infrared sensors. The Avenger can penetrate enemy air defense systems and drop up to 3,000 pounds of precision munitions.
C. Mark Brinkley, a spokesman for General Atomics, noted that the company is in a unique position because they have operational uncrewed jets for experimentation. He referred to the MQ-20 Avenger, equipped with mature mission autonomy software, as an ideal Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) surrogate that allows for rapid advancements in capabilities.
The MQ-20 is intended to provide covert strike capacity to the F-22 Raptor, a supersonic multipurpose stealth fighter described by the U.S. Air Force as “cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.” Brinkley mentioned the importance of beginning F-22 teaming operations without waiting for the CCA fleet to be deployed, asserting that General Atomics is well positioned to start now.
During the test flight, the F-22 pilot controlled the Avenger drone from the cockpit using a tablet along with platforms created by L3Harris, which included two Software-Defined Radios and the BANSHEE Advanced Tactical Datalinks. The BANSHEE system supports drone swarming operations, enabling the control of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in formation and also assisting in cruise missile guidance.
Brinkley emphasized that General Atomics has invested in uncrewed jets for 17 years, marking this flight test as another milestone in their ongoing commitment to advancing unmanned technologies.
**About Zita Ballinger Fletcher**: Zita Ballinger Fletcher has worked as the editor for Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and served as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.
