XQ-67A demonstrates autonomy and datalink interoperability during flight test

The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) XQ-67A, a second-generation Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), has successfully demonstrated integration of government reference autonomy during a recent flight test in the California High Desert, says General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI).

During the flight, the XQ-67A executed test points to validate the integration of mission systems on the aircraft, including autonomy, mission computing, networking, power and thermal management, and datalinks. Through a tactical datalink, the aircraft received real-time updates and situational data, giving it the ability to coordinate seamlessly with crewed aircraft and other autonomous systems in the future, the company says.

This is a vital step towards integrating a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) with a crewed fighter, EX2 understands. GA-ASI’s YFQ-42A has been selected by the US Air Force as one of two autonomous CCA designs which will operate with 5^th and 6^th generation aircraft such as the F-22, F-35 and F-47. Flight testing by the USAF is due to begin later this calendar year.

The flight showcased the integration of government-owned autonomy on the XQ-67A, paired with active tactical datalink communications, to enable dynamic mission execution and real-time coordination with both crewed and uncrewed systems, says the company. The event marked a major milestone in advancing scalable, modular autonomy and seamless interoperable crewed-uncrewed teaming (C/U-T), according to GA-ASI.

“This successful test underscores the Department’s commitment to fielding autonomous systems that can integrate into joint operations using existing tactical networks,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI. “Government owned autonomy on the XQ-67A is a concrete step toward deployable, combat-relevant autonomy that works with and alongside crewed platforms.”

The XQ-67A platform, built by GA-ASI under contract with AFRL, plays a critical role in exploring the platform sharing approach to achieving scalable affordable mass. Its performance in this flight test advances the Air Force’s vision for an integrated autonomous force that can support and augment current and future crewed platforms.