Avenger UAS controlled in flight using Link 16

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has flown its MQ-20 Avenger UAS using a BAE Systems Link 16 network as part of an ongoing programme to prove and demonstrate operational concepts.

The demonstration took place at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon flight operations facility in El Mirage, California.

The company described the flight as “part of an ongoing series of technology insertion and autonomous flights performed using internal research and development funding to prove important concepts”.

The Avenger is being used as a test bed for autonomous UAS development and for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme. The demonstration is designed to accelerate emerging networked electronic attack capabilities for US Air Force Autonomous Collaborative Platforms.

The flight is part of Project Red 5 which is occurring under Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Project and run by the Test Resource Management Center.

Under the US$98 million contract, GA-ASI will operate two of its company-owned MQ-20 Avenger UAS and provide mission autonomy software to integrate, data links and other advanced mission systems.

In April last year, GA-ASI conducted a live tactical air combat manoeuvre using artificial intelligence pilots to control a company-owned MQ-20.

Collaboration between human and AI pilots was carried out using a live, virtual, constructive CCA ecosystem over a low Earth orbit SATCOM provider’s IP-based data link.

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

MQ-20 Avenger

Link 16/TADIL-J