{"id":51375,"date":"2023-09-13T13:31:24","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T13:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/09\/13\/message-received-air-force-crystal-clear-on-drone-wingmen-urgency\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:54:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:54:51","slug":"message-received-air-force-crystal-clear-on-drone-wingmen-urgency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/unmanned\/2023\/09\/13\/message-received-air-force-crystal-clear-on-drone-wingmen-urgency\/","title":{"rendered":"Message received: Air Force \u2018crystal clear\u2019 on drone wingmen urgency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. \u2014 The U.S. Air Force has clearly expressed its desire for a futuristic fleet of drone \u201cwingmen\u201d considered vital to countering Russia and China, defense company executives said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exchange of info between buyer and builder for the collaborative combat aircraft endeavor, or CCA, has so far been \u201ccrystal clear,\u201d according to David Alexander, the president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems<\/a>, the maker of the Gray Eagle and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s helpful, especially for companies that want to invest and lean forward and see how we can get speed,\u201d Alexander said Sept. 11 at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. \u201cI really appreciate the clarity on that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force in the coming years wants to pair pilots with CCAs to afford them greater flexibility and firepower. The uncrewed aircraft could carry out a variety of missions: conducting reconnaissance and gathering intelligence; jamming signals and serving as decoys<\/a>; and striking targets with their own missiles. Service officials have also said CCAs could range in cost and complexity, with some being expensive and precious while others could be easily traded in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Winkler, a vice president at Kratos, a California-based developer of uncrewed defense platforms, said the Air Force and Department of Defense have \u201c100%\u201d communicated their desires. The Air Force\u2019s proposed budget for fiscal 2024 includes new spending to help it prepare for a future with drone wingmen, including an effort known as Project Venom that involves self-flying F-16 fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\t