A new, 19-month contract expands on Merlin’s existing work with the U.S. Air Force to automate the controls on the KC-135 Stratotanker. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]
Key Takeaways:
The U.S. Air Force has contracted Merlin Labs to develop and integrate autonomous flight technology, "Merlin Pilot," for its tanker fleet.
This initiative aims to automate critical missions like aerial refueling and humanitarian air drops, reduce pilot workload, enable extended crew operations, and eventually lead to fully uncrewed flights.
Initial efforts focus on the KC-135 Stratotanker, with a flight demonstration planned by early 2025, alongside work to achieve FAA airworthiness certification and expand to other military aircraft.
The U.S. Air Force is exploring the use of self-flying tankers for aerial refueling and other missions under a new contract.
Boston-based Merlin Labs is the beneficiary of the 19-month, undisclosed value contract—first reported by FLYING—that aims to give current and future American tankers the ability to adapt missions on the fly without human intervention.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
