Drone-Ception: Valkyrie Drone Launches Mini-Drone in New Air Force Test
The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrates the separation of the ALTIUS-600 small UAS in a test at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground test range, Arizona on March 26, 2021. This test was the first time the weapons bay doors have been opened in flight. (Courtesy photo)
7 Apr 2021
The Air Force just demonstrated the ability to launch a drone from another drone, a step forward in complex aerial warfare without a human pilot.
The XQ-58A Valkyrie successfully released a small unmanned aerial vehicle from its internal weapons bay at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona on March 26, according to a service release. The test was conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Valkyrie s maker, Kratos Defense.
By Garrett Reim2021-04-06T09:06:00+01:00
The sight of an aircraft crashing and burning is for most engineers the stuff of nightmares. But, for engineers developing a new class of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) called attritable aircraft, such destruction is not likely to elicit more than a shoulder shrug.
Attritable aircraft are designed to be thrown out – eventually.
Source: Boeing
Attritable aircraft require a change in mindset, says Boeing
The US Air Force (USAF) believes that by designing and building military UAVs cheap enough it can gain an edge over its adversaries in a war of attrition (hence the name “attritable”). Essentially it wants UAVs that it can afford to lose.
By Craig Hoyle2021-04-06T15:39:00+01:00
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ XQ-58A Valkyrie performed its sixth flight late last month, culminating with the “loyal wingman” releasing an air-launched effect vehicle from its internal weapons bay for the first time.
Conducted over the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on 26 March, the test flight involved the release of an Area-I Altius-600 small unmanned air system (SUAS).
Source: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
The attritable aircraft released Altius-600 air-launched effect during 26 March flight
“Kratos, Area-I and AFRL designed and fabricated the SUAS carriage and developed software to enable release,” the research laboratory says. This was also the first time that the aircraft’s weapons bay doors had been opened in flight.
Ever Seen A Drone Dropping Another Drone? Take A Look At The XQ-58 Valkyrie Releasing An Altius 600 UAS theaviationist.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theaviationist.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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