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NGAD

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall delivers a keynote at the AFA Warfare Symposium on March 7, 2023. (Photo by Brandi Vincent)

Air Force planning for 1,000 robotic wingmen

This figure was derived from assuming two CCAs each for 200 NGAD platforms and an additional two for each of 300 F-35s, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall…
An XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020. The flight successfully demonstrated the ability of new communications data to exchange information with an F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua King)

Air Force considering wide range of options to team robotic wingmen with other platforms

The Air Force plans to develop “collaborative combat aircraft” in the coming years and link them with crewed systems.
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