Theme: Light Fighters MT 2/2023 · 29 speed of Mach 0.9 and withstand high-G manoeuvres. It might be able to carry various air-to-ground weapons in its internal weapon bay. The prototype of the XQ-58A was for first time flown on 5 March 2019 and was later extensively tested and evaluated under the USAF Research Laboratory’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) project portfolio. While the Valkyrie tests were on-going under the LACSD program, USAF launched project Skyborg under a program named Vanguard to focus on development of a ‚Loyal Wingman‘ UCAV with extensive Artificial Intelligence capability. UCAVs competing under the Skyborg project could be used autonomously whenever needed thanks to the implication of advanced Artificial The development of the S-70 began in 2011 several years after the development of GJ-11 by the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group. The first prototype of S-70 had its maiden flight performed on 3 August 2019 while Sharp Sword flew for the first time in 2013. The S-70 is designed to be used as a Loyal Wingman for the Su-57 from 2025 in the Russian Air and Space Force while the GJ-11 will be used as Loyal Wingman of Chengdu J-20S (two-seat variant) in People’s Liberation Army Air Force. Like the US X-47B, which was a carrier-based UCAV, a maritime version of GJ-11 was designed with capability of taking off autonomously from Type 075 amphibious assault ships. Capable of carrying a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) payload in its internal bays, the GJ-11 has already entered in service with the PLAAF. Despite the fact the Russian made S-70B has a 20 tons maximum takeoff weight strictly similar to the X-47B, it has so far been developed as a land-based aircraft to only be paired with the Su-57 Felon fifth generation multirole fighter jets of Russian Air and Space Force. Equipped with Saturn Izdeliye (product) 117BD, a highly modified AL-41F-1 turbofan engine derived from Su-57’s but without thrust vectoring, it has a kidney-shaped air intake at the top of the fuselage and a flat exhaust nozzle. The S-shaped air intake of the engine well hides compressor blades preventing the radar waves reaching them and they receive their reflection in order to significantly reduce the UCAV‘s RCS. Also, thanks to two weapon bays, each 4.5m long and 1m wide, the S-70 can carry a wide range of precision guided missiles such as four Kh58UShK anti-radiation missiles for DEAD/SEAD missions or four Kh-38M air-to-surface missiles or four KAB-250 or four KA-500M TV precision guided bombs in strike missions. While the GJ-11 is already reported to be in service with the PLAAF, the S-70B is expected to enter Russian Air and Space Force service in 2024. So far, two flying prototypes named S-70B-1 and S-70-2 have been built and tested while two more are under construction. In addition to them, a non-flying prototype has been built for static tests. The second flying prototype of the aircraft has already been tested during teamed flights with Su-57-3 prototype. Low Cost Attritable UCAVs Design and development of expensive Loyal Wingman UCAVs such as X-45 and X-47 were abandoned in favour of USAF’s Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program. LCASD program led to design and development of the XQ-58 Valkyrie experimental low-cost UCAV by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions between 2016 and 2019 under a $40,848,839 contract awarded on 8 July 2016. The UCAV developed under the program should have a maximum $3 million replacement cost for the first unit and $2 million or less for a 100-unit purchase. It is esteemed to have a 1,500nm (2800km) combat radius and a 500lb (225kg) weapon payload at the most economical cruise speed and altitude. The drone could be able to reach a maximum Babak Taghvaee is journalist, historian, and book author. He lives in France and Greece and writes about the French and Hellenic armed forces as well as about UAVs/UCAVs. Two MQ-28A prototypes. (Photo: Boeing Australia) The First prototype of MQ-28A. (Photo: Boeing Australia) The first prototype of a MQ-28A Ghost Bat. (Photo: Australian Department of Defence) f X-45A in flight with NASA‘s F/A-18B No. 846 during the first GPS-Guided weapon demonstration flight on April 18, 2004. (Photo: NASA Photo / Jim Ross) The Navy‘s unmanned X-47B, right, conducted flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) on August 18, 2014. The aircraft completed a series of tests demonstrating its ability to operate safely and seamlessly with manned aircraft. (Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Liz Wolter)
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