Air Force Secretary Sets Timeline For Manned, Unmanned Teaming

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 04:21 PM ET

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Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall [File Photo Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force is fully committed to developing manned-unmanned teaming (MUT) concepts for both fighters (e.g., NGAD, F-35) and bombers (e.g., B-21 Raider).
This MUT capability is expected to emerge around the same time as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter (by 2030), offering new tactical options and flexibility.
A key driver for embracing MUT is to achieve cost-effectiveness and build "mass" for the Air Force, preparing for future combat scenarios that are anticipated to be faster and more complex.

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The U.S. Air Force’s concept of manned, unmanned teaming could emerge in “roughly the same time frame” as the service’s forthcoming Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter currently in production, the service’s top official said Tuesday.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall confirmed Tuesday that when it comes to exploring the use of pairing unmanned air combat platforms with piloted aircraft, the service is all in.

Air Force Secretary Sets Timeline For Manned, Unmanned Teaming

Key Takeaways:

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