U.S. Navy conducted live control flight demonstration of carrier-based UAVs
by Mike Heuer
Washington DC (UPI) Nov 7, 2024

The U.S. Navy conducted their first live control flight demonstration of an uncrewed aerial vehicle that represents the future of naval aviation.

Lockheed Martin and General Atomics partnered with the Navy on Thursday to conduct the flight demonstration using the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station in Maryland and an MQ-20 Avenger UAV that completed an unmanned fly mission in California.

Lockheed Martin "is proud to collaborate with the Navy to bring its Carrier Air Wing of the Future vision to life," said John Clark, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

The Navy's air vehicle pilots controlled the California-based unmanned MQ-20 Avenger jet aircraft from the control station in Patuxent River, Md.

The flight test helps the Navy and engineers with Lockheed Martin and General Atomics to develop the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station.

The test flight demonstrated the two-way communications capability with an unmanned aircraft as its performed autonomous flight maneuvers.

"This effort was a prime example of industry partners and government agencies working together to perform important new capabilities,"General Atomics President David Alexander said in an online news release.

"The team efficiently and safely demonstrated aircraft flight control from another government agency's control system," Alexander said. "The team not only executed airborne commands, but did so in a safe,controlled environment."

The test flight will help develop the technology needed to support unmanned flights by the MQ-25 Stingray jet aircraft being developed by Boeing.

The MQ-25 and the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System are two crucial elements of the Navy's plans to integrate unmanned aircraft into its carrier-based operations.

The Navy intends to use the MQ-25 Stingray and the mission control system on all of its Nimitz- and Ford-class aircraft carriers.

The Navy in August announced it placed its first new control room on the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier to support the future unmanned flights by the MQ-25.

Boeing says the MQ-25 Stingray will enable "robust refueling capability" to extend the operational range of F/A-18Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35C fighters.

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