F-22 Raptor pilots now command the MQ-20 Avenger drone from the cockpit, a tactical leap enabling faster decisions and integrated manned-unmanned combat operations.
By Kris Osborn, Warrior
The famous and ever-improving F-22 Raptor recently completed a breakthrough demonstration of its ability to operate an MQ-20 Avenger drone from the cockpit of the aircraft, bringing a long-standing US Air Force tactical and strategic ambition closer to operational reality. During a demonstration earlier this year conducted by MQ-20 drone-maker General Atomics, an F-22 directed and entire mission for the
Avenger drone, a capability which streamlines command and control, reduces latency and refines new Concepts of Operation involving air-to-air manned-unmanned teaming.
It appears this development will set the precedent for the first-ever fighter-jet - Collaborative Combat Aircraft operations, which will likely include the greatly upgraded F-22.
Loyal Wingman
More than 10 years ago, former Air Force Chief Scientist Gregory Zacharais led a service effort to envision this tactical possibility wherein unmanned systems were fully operated from the cockpit of fighter jets in the air. This requires manned-unmanned teaming, hardened networking, advanced interfaces, streamlined command and control and interoperable IP protocol or standards to enable secure passage of information between air platforms. From this point forward, the concept became known as the “loyal wingman” dynamic wherein a drone would operate at the direction of the fighter-jet it supports.
The conceptual intent at the time, which is now an operational reality, was to massively improve latency by preventing the need for drone acquired data to pass through ground-based command and control center before it can be leveraged for operational use. Manned-unmanned teaming in this respect brings high-speed, time-sensitive decision-making closer to the tactical edge, something which massively improves and expedites what is known as the “kill chain” or “kill web.” For instance, one or more drones could test enemy air defenses, jam communications, conduct wide-area targeting and surveillance and even launch attacks when directed by a human.
Years of Progress
There have been many “steps along the way” over the course of the past decade as fighter-jet-drone connectivity evolved from a conceptual vision into an operational reality. Building upon the Concepts of Operation envisioned by Zacharias and other Air Force weapons developers in 2014, the Air Force Research Laboratory conducted a successful experiment in which an F-35 and F-22 were able to share data in-flight with the Valkyrie drone. This flight, which took place during the Air Force’s 2024 Emerald Flag exercise, likely provided the technological foundation for the recent success connecting F-22s with CCAs.
During the exercise in 2024, the Valkyrie demonstrated its ability to act as a forward-deployed sensor platform, providing critical targeting data to Marine Corps F-35Bs and other aircraft through a secure data link known as Link-16.
Manned-Unmanned Teaming
Manned-unmanned teaming, as it is called, could be identified as fundamental to the wave of the future when it comes to air warfare, as it naturally introduces new tactical possibilities for an attack. Much of the prevailing consensus regarding what is likely to determine outcomes in future wars, especially should they involve great power conflict, could be described in terms of “sensor-to-shooter” timelines. Air-to-air rapid connectivity between drones and armed, supersonic stealth fighter jets could enable attack aircraft to seek and destroy enemy targets before they are seen.
Interestingly, the Army was on the forefront of manned-unmanned teaming years ago when Apache attack helicopter crews were engineered with an ability to view live feeds from nearby drones in the cockpit and also control a drone’s sensor payload and flight path. This technology, which deployed to great effect in Afghanistan in recent years, reshaped helicopter attack tactics as Apache pilots were able to find, detect and track enemy targets before even taking off, due to being able to receive incoming drone video feeds.
The technical advance is quite significant, as it not only reduces latency in terms of data transmission but naturally massively streamlines command and control such that fifth-generation fighter aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 jets can control the flight path, mission scope and sensor payload of nearby drones to test enemy defenses, blanket areas with forward-surveillance or even fire weapons when directed by humans. Perhaps F-35 jets could operate a small forward fleet of mini-drones to jam enemy radar, overwhelm sensors or network targeting data back to air and ground nodes.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.