The legendary Skunk Works advanced project division says its plan, which is centered on a multi-layered "distributed team" of diverse unmanned aircraft working in concert with manned types, presents a far more capable alternative to so-called 'loyal wingman' concepts, which involve air combat drones working 'tethered' to manned platforms in a relatively rigid fashion.
This kind of “Loyal Wingman” capability, now
progressing quickly through Air Force testing and development, enables a manned
crew to control the flight path and sensor payload from the cockpit of the
aircraft. This not only allows manned crews to operate at a safer stand-off
range but also enables operation of a forward “node” or sensor platform from
which to conduct surveillance, test enemy air defenses or even drop weapons
when directed by a human.
Lockheed Martin Vice President and Skunk Works General Manager John Clark provided details about this unmanned initiative at a virtual press briefing. Computer-generated promotional materials the company subsequently released, show four different pilotless platforms, which range from lower-end expendable and 'attritable' designs to more 'exquisite' types, all intended to work in complementary ways with existing and future manned combat aircraft, as well as each other.
Clark explained that while Skunk Works' distributed manned-unmanned teaming construct is new, as a whole, it is heavily rooted in past projects that Skunk Works has conducted, including many he has directly been a part of. He added that this specific effort has itself been years in the making, dating back at least to Will Roper's tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics, which lasted from 2018 until last year.
"The term that's really been latched on to by a lot of folks is this idea of a 'loyal wingman,'" using a term commonly used to refer to unmanned aircraft generally designed to work directly at the command of manned types.
initial work on the manned-unmanned teaming concepts at Skunk Works showed that if the drones weren't specifically 'matched' in various ways to the manned platforms that they were supposed to be protecting or otherwise supporting, such as in terms of speed or radar signature, then they would actually provide dangerous cues to enemy integrated air defense system networks. "Any indication or warning that the loyal wingmen provided, then would be a tip that would then allow these integrated air defense system networks to start to find the things that we didn't want the adversary to find."
Skunk Works' focus subsequently shifted to other ways to augment or supplement manned aerial combat capabilities in a more complementary fashion with a heavy emphasis on novel and distributed architecture. This "allowed more freedom of flexibility or freedom of maneuver with respect to the types of capabilities that we could introduce," Clark said.
Both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy have separate but intertwined Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programs that are seeking to develop and acquire a host of advanced aerial combat technologies, with unmanned systems being a critical part. However, generally, when people like Clark talk about 6th generation aircraft, they are referring to the Air Force's initiative, which is a 'system of systems' effort that includes work on a new stealthy manned combat aircraft and various drones, as well as new weapons, sensors, networking, and battle management capabilities to go with them.
B-21Stealth Bomber,
manned-unmanned teaming also introduces a wide range of new tactical
possibilities. To include an ability to deliver a much larger weapons payload. Increase
dwell time over target areas and conduct attacks over a wider envelope or
engagement area.
B-21 Raider, to perform long range conventional and
nuclear missions, and to operate in tomorrow’s high end threat environment, the
B-21 will be a visible, and flexible component of the nuclear triad. This is
the third U.S. Air Force rendering of the B-21 Raider.
Through programs such as the Air Force’s Valkyrie
drone, the service has already demonstrated the ability of an F-35 or F-22 to
fly alongside of and operate drones such as the Valkyrie. This greatly reduces
latency by avoiding a need to route time-sensitive surveillance. and targeting
data through a ground station.
2023 is the year. when the new bomber is slated to
enter low-rate initial production, and final testing and preparation has been
underway for months. at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
“We are, assessing the potential to introduce a
lower cost, complementary, uncrewed aircraft into the B-21 to provide an
enhanced level of capability,” Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz. told
reporters at the announcement of the service’s. 2023 budget request.
"Then we started exploring the ideas of expendable aircraft," according to Clark. The Skunk Works chief stressed the distinction here between expendable and so-called "attritable" platforms. Broadly speaking, attritable unmanned aircraft are designed with a balance of capabilities and cost that is intended to enable commanders to be more willing to utilize them on higher-risk missions that would otherwise preclude the use of a more expensive and complex platform.
Lockheed Martin has laid out its vision for the future of tactical air combat.
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