In that program, which has a contractual ceiling of up to $400 million, the company will compete to develop a digital design for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of operating autonomously.
The Skyborg program aims to create a low-cost autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle that will partner with manned aircraft to increase aerial combat power. In conjunction with a manned aircraft, UAVs will leverage autonomy to disrupt and defeat adversaries in contested environments.
“The need to generate combat force faster than our adversaries is critical to dealing with similar threats,” said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager, Avionics and Control Solutions, BAE Systems. "This award will accelerate the development and deployment of manned-unmanned team technologies to give the United States Air Force a decisive advantage on the battlefield."
The UAVs will be designed with autonomous systems from BAE Systems, which include sensors and payloads that communicate over a shared network with manned aircraft. This modular, common system approach provides the foundation for rapid upgrades and integration to ensure the fleet is utilizing the latest capabilities to defend against emerging threats.
The shared network enables unmanned manned grouping (MUM-T), which allows UAVs and manned aircraft to work together and complete missions more effectively. The network extends the fleet's reach while keeping manned aircraft and personnel out of harm's way. This will allow UAVs to serve as eyes and ears for pilots, collecting and sending data from the battlefield to a manned fighter.
Source: BAE Systems
