MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2021) Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force completed the first test flight of the Loyal Wingman drone, the multinational corporation said in a statement.
"Boeing [NYSE:BA] Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have successfully completed the first test flight of the Loyal Wingman uncrewed aircraft. The flight of the first military aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years flew under the supervision of a Boeing test pilot monitoring the aircraft from a ground control station at the Woomera Range Complex," it said.
"The Loyal Wingman's first flight is a major step in this long-term, significant project for the Air Force and Boeing Australia, and we're thrilled to be a part of the successful test. The Loyal Wingman project is a pathfinder for the integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create smart human-machine teams," Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, RAAF Head of Air Force Capability, said.
She said that through the project Boeing was learning how to integrate new capabilities to complement and extend air combat and other missions.
"Following a series of taxi tests validating ground handling, navigation and control, and pilot interface, the aircraft completed a successful takeoff under its own power before flying a pre-determined route at different speeds and altitudes to verify flight functionality and demonstrate the performance of the Airpower Teaming System design," the company said.
