In a first, US F-22 pilot controls drone sidekick from cockpit at 50,000 feet

The US Air Force and three major defense contractors have completed a new flight test that moved crewed-uncrewed teaming closer to operational reality, successfully linking an F-22 Raptor fighter with a GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger unmanned jet through a next-generation communications architecture. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris Technologies said Tuesday that the October 21 test at the Nevada Test and Training Range demonstrated secure, government-owned datalinks allowing an F-22 pilot to command and control the MQ-20 during flight.

The companies described the event as a major step toward open-architecture autonomy and future air combat concepts that pair crewed fighters with autonomous aircraft. US F-22 pilot controls robotic wingman The demonstration relied on L3Harris’ BANSHEE advanced tactical datalinks operating through its Pantera software-defined radios, which were integrated into both the fighter and the unmanned aircraft using Lockheed Martin’s open radio architecture.

Engineers fitted one Pantera radio onto the MQ-20 and another onto the F-22, creating a bidirectional link. Using a tablet-based Pilot Vehicle Interface and the F-22’s GRACE mission module, the pilot maintained end-to-end communications with the drone, issuing commands and receiving real-time data.

Program officials said the test highlighted the ability to fly and re-fly hardware across platforms without proprietary restrictions, a central goal of the Pentagon’s Open Mission Systems approach, which aims to make aircraft more adaptable by allowing rapid upgrades from multiple vendors. The MQ-20, originally known as the Predator C Avenger, has been under development by General Atomics for more than a decade as a high-speed, low-observable jet built for contested airspace.

Its first flight occurred in 2009. The latest production version has a 76-foot wingspan and increased fuel capacity, giving it more than 20 hours of endurance, while the Avenger Extended Range variant adds even greater persistence.

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney turbofan engine producing more than 5,000 pounds of thrust, the Avenger can reach speeds up to 400 knots true airspeed and operate above 50,000 feet. Battlefield commands The jet requires less than 5,000 feet of runway and carries a mix of internal and external payloads, including up to 3,000 pounds of precision weapons in an internal bay.

The aircraft can also mount multiple intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors on its wing stations. General Atomics positions the MQ-20 as a flexible, next-generation remotely piloted aircraft capable of performing wide-area surveillance, time-sensitive strike missions, maritime targeting, and long-range electronic intelligence collection.

The platform’s higher transit speeds and autonomy features allow rapid repositioning, improving survivability inside or near adversary air-defense networks. The aircraft uses the same ground control stations as the company’s Predator-series drones, allowing operators to shift between platforms with minimal retraining.

The recent test is part of an ongoing series of internally funded demonstrations aimed at exploring “the art of the possible” in pairing manned fighters with unmanned systems. Air Force officials have identified crewed-uncrewed teaming as a key element of next-generation air dominance, including autonomous wingmen expected to fly alongside future fighters.

By validating new communications links between the MQ-20 and F-22, the companies said the test advances the broader autonomy ecosystem needed to connect multiple aircraft types in combat and underscores the service’s interest in rapidly integrating unmanned platforms that can enter dangerous airspace without risking a pilot.