F-22 uses Skunk Works technology to Control an Attack DroneF-22 uses Skunk Works technology to control an attack drone.  ©  Skunk Works

Lockheed Martin‘s Skunk Works showed that an F-22 fighter jet can fully control a “loyal wingman” attack drone in flight.

Using Skunk Works technology, an F-22 pilot was able to direct an unmanned aircraft during a test over Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. From inside the cockpit, the pilot used a new open-interface control system to send commands to the drone and guide it through a planned mission.

F-22 uses Skunk Works technology to Control an Attack DroneF-22 uses Skunk Works technology to control an attack drone.  ©  Skunk Works

The setup relied on a pilot vehicle interface (PVI), a flexible control system designed to work with both current and future aircraft.

This successful test highlights how human pilots and autonomous aircraft can operate together — a major step toward the future of air combat. Lockheed Martin has been developing AI-enabled and autonomous teaming for years, especially for the F-22 and F-35.

source Lockheed Martin