The Pentagon ordered the development of a new drone to protect fighters

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The Pentagon ordered the development of a new drone to protect fighters

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has begun developing a new jet drone. As part of the LongShot program ("long-range strike"), the agency signed a contract with three companies.

A new drone capable of carrying several types of air-to-air missiles will be created by General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, who received the task of preliminary design of a new drone. It is assumed that the new drone will increase the survivability of manned fighters, taking on the function of protection, hitting enemy aircraft with available means at a long distance.



LongShot program is changing the paradigm of aerial warfare, demonstrating an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of using modern high-precision weapon air-to-air class

- said the head of the DARPA program, Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun.

The LongShot program will be implemented in several stages. First, a drone will be developed, tested, and then a full-scale airborne demonstration system will be created on its basis, capable of "performing a controlled flight before, during and after the release / launch of weapons in operational conditions."

Whether the companies will jointly create a drone or each will develop its own version of the drone is still unknown. Apart from information that the drone will have a jet engine and carry air-to-air missiles, there is no other information yet.
  • DARPA
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  1. +4
    10 February 2021 14: 08
    In fact, they have been involved in similar projects since the 60s. Now the technological level allows you to create a full-fledged UAV defender. It is interesting to use it on B-52 bombers or arsenals that are also being tested in parallel.




    It looks like the tests took place on UTAP-22 earlier, apparently successfully.
    1. +1
      10 February 2021 14: 32
      Also in development is a project of small V-V missiles. Which will ideally stand on such UAVs.

    2. +4
      10 February 2021 14: 47
      It looks like tests took place on UTAP-22 earlier, apparently successfully

      Yes there were such tests hi
  2. -3
    10 February 2021 14: 08
    Well, it dawned on them that the aviation wars of the future would be waged by units - a fighter with a live pilot and a dozen drones slaves ...
    1. -2
      10 February 2021 14: 11
      Quote: sannyhome
      Well, it dawned on them

      In what sense? laughing The USA was the first to offer and test such schemes. It's called Loyal Wingman laughing
      1. -6
        10 February 2021 14: 13
        Quote: OgnennyiKotik
        In what sense?

        In direct. In MAI, a similar battle scheme was proposed back in the XNUMXs. But the second Chechen war, then the CTO, then the restoration ... They never realized it, there was only enough money to run the Berkut
    2. -1
      11 February 2021 12: 23
      "Links" have the prospect, first of all, for the protection of long-range bombers. A "live" fighter pilot can be aboard a bomber.
  3. -2
    10 February 2021 14: 10
    As soon as we showed the flight of the SU57 AND HUNTER pair and it started ...
    1. -1
      10 February 2021 14: 14
      Seriously? So this option in combat conditions was used in 1944 year, USA v Japan laughing

    2. +6
      10 February 2021 14: 16
      this concept is their brainchild, they were the first to start working on it and bring it to life.
      1. +6
        10 February 2021 14: 18
        Well, in fairness, their concept is a "flying aircraft carrier". Here is somewhat different ...
        1. +3
          10 February 2021 14: 24
          you can endlessly find fault with the nuances; UAV flying carrier is just a logical continuation, due to fuel economy, etc. etc.
          1. -3
            10 February 2021 14: 48
            that's all, bullshit - you need a system not only for refueling but also bookmaker replenishment
            (missiles in-in, in-z, in-k, if only, odeby, ofy)
        2. +2
          10 February 2021 14: 25
          See the photo in the first post, this is the 60s.
          Flying Aircraft Carrier - the program is called Gremlins. Here is a video of the actual flight and concept.


          1. +5
            10 February 2021 14: 36
            1931 V.S. Vakhmistrov and "Airplane Link" On TB - 3 they hung I-5, I-7, I-16. In 1938, the tests were successfully completed. So who is not needed first laughing
            1. +3
              10 February 2021 14: 50
              Mozhaisky's airplane also had a wingman - Mozhaisky's maloplane.
              Controlled by voice and by telephone from an airplane. am
              1. -3
                10 February 2021 15: 10
                Continuing ...
                The F-15EX is an ideal carrier for Longshot, it will calmly lift 6 of them, the co-pilot will be able to control the UAV, the first by the aircraft itself.
              2. -3
                11 February 2021 08: 39
                Northrop Grumman showed its LongShot variant. Suspiciously similar to XQ-58


                A new type of rockets is shown. Similar to CUDA.

            2. +1
              10 February 2021 14: 51
              Who cares, more details can be found in the internet, at least here https: //legendary-aircraft.blogspot.com/2013/06/Modifikacii-TB-3.html?m=1
  4. +1
    10 February 2021 14: 56
    So everything is clear, logical.
    We must bear this in mind.
    1. -1
      10 February 2021 15: 02
      Yes. By 2025, 4-5 countries will be armed with massive jet UAVs. Capable of striking air, land and sea targets. By 2030, they will become the main striker. We need the same massive solutions in response. The hunter will be absolutely useless. The same Sukhoi has more suitable solutions.
      1. 0
        10 February 2021 15: 09
        Money, money and more money.
        Those. can only decide at the very top.
      2. -1
        10 February 2021 16: 48
        Quote: OgnennyiKotik
        The same Sukhoi has more suitable solutions.

        If my memory serves me, they are still Yakovlev's.
        1. -3
          10 February 2021 16: 56
          There are a lot of projects, but they will not look very good at parades. Small, cheap ...
          Here S-70 is YES! Dimensions as in the Su-57, costs the same, flies majestically, looks awesome. Here's the truth to the sense of 0. Long-range reconnaissance and light bomber. In the absence of a normal satellite communication network. Yeah. But budgets ...
      3. -1
        10 February 2021 19: 04
        Judging by the length of the wings, these are not devices for striking air targets. And the name "Probe" also hints.
  5. -2
    10 February 2021 15: 14
    And what the hell do you need fighters in that case?
    1. +1
      10 February 2021 15: 44
      They will be the control centers of network-centric systems. Receive data from various sources, process and transmit commands to various end systems, such as UAVs Loyal Wingman and LongShot. In the United States, this role will be assigned to the F-35, F-15EX and, in the future, NGAD.
      1. 0
        10 February 2021 15: 49
        And then what the hell do you need AWACS planes?
        1. +1
          10 February 2021 15: 54
          For early warning radar. If AWACS is still control. But these are management at a higher level. It is precisely by the links and squadrons of aircraft.
          1. 0
            10 February 2021 18: 30
            Well, let them create this madhouse, the more links in the chain, the more chances of failure.
  6. The comment was deleted.
  7. -3
    10 February 2021 18: 46
    For the past 15 years, some "experts" have uncontrollably argued that the Russians' bet on super-maneuverability is an outdated concept from WWII, they say it is necessary to build stealth fighters that will be the first to detect, attack and win. But then the tests of the Hunter started and it became obvious to many in the West that now the F-35 is inferior to the Su-57 + Hunter pair in general in all respects: speed, maneuverability, stealth, combat load. And now, urgently, they also began to develop their unmanned wingmen
    1. -2
      10 February 2021 19: 12
      Quote: Object.F7
      trials of the Hunter started, and it became obvious to many in the West that now the F-35 is inferior to the Su-57 + Hunter pair in general in all respects: speed, maneuverability, stealth, combat load.


      (suspiciously) How are you so well aware of the test results of the "Su-57 + Okhotnik pair"?
      1. -3
        10 February 2021 19: 48
        From open sources. The hunter will expand the Su-57's radar field, which means it will have its own radar. Now we look at the shape of the Hunter - a flying wing, the perfect solution for stealth. Like the same B-2 bomber. Only the Hunter has an advantage in unmanning, unties the hands of engineers on layout, aerodynamics, the absence of a cockpit canopy, you don't need to be a genius to see the obvious advantages in stealth over the F-35
        1. -4
          10 February 2021 20: 14
          Excellent nonsense. Is it okay that the project of unmanned slaves started at least 5 years ago in the west? How are radar and stealth related? How does a flying wing UAV increase speed and maneuverability? Does it bother you that the US projects from which the S-70s were copied are already closed? Does it bother you that the shown S-70 prototype has no weapons bays? And that the price of this UAV, the size of the Su-57, with avionics from it, but a complicated circuit and unmanned equipment, will be at best 30 percent cheaper?
          S-70 is another ceremonial project, meaningless and useless. But very pleasing uryakalok.
          Here's a look at the work of the US projects, which cosplay (and not so well) C-70. Think about why they didn't go into production in a wealthy country like the USA.

          1. 0
            10 February 2021 20: 46
            The speed and maneuverability of the 57th, the Hunter, as an armed scout, flies in front and gives target designation. The prototype "without weapons bays" somehow carried out successful bombing, which means there are still bays. The question of price is at the level of guesswork, there is nothing to discuss yet
            1. -4
              10 February 2021 21: 07
              Quote: Object.F7
              The hunter, as an armed scout, flies ahead and gives target designation.

              How does it detect and identify the target? Determine the exact coordinates for missile guidance?
              Quote: Object.F7
              The prototype "no weapons bays" somehow successfully bombed

              Was it? Do you have a photo / video? An official statement from the VKS or Sukhoi? Or is there just stuffing from journalists?
              Can you help me find traces of the hatches?


              Quote: Object.F7
              The question of price is at the level of guesswork, there is nothing to discuss yet

              This is Openel's secret. They announced $ 30 million, in reality it will be at least 2 times more expensive. If he does at least half of what he promised.
              1. -1
                10 February 2021 22: 59
                I remember about 57, too, they said so, since the hatches are not shown, then they are not. And there, in the experimental series, each machine was different in execution. We do not know how many of them are already flying. If they wrote Okhotnik-B bombed, then maybe there will be versions of electronic warfare, tankers ...
            2. -2
              10 February 2021 21: 33
              Quote: Object.F7
              The prototype "without weapons bays" somehow carried out successful bombing, which means there are still bays.


              You troll, right? Well, you can't be that ... uh ... incompetent.
        2. -1
          10 February 2021 21: 29
          There is nothing open source to support your claims.

          Quote: Object.F7
          The hunter will expand the Su-57's radar field, which means he will have his own radar


          Will it be so or already has it? laughing If he hasn't already, how can he already surpass? And that's how it is with you.
          1. 0
            10 February 2021 22: 35
            Who do you have? This topic is interesting to me as an ordinary fan of aviation. For many nodes, unification with drying was declared, which creaked into the series, so there is no need to doubt the presence of a radar, ols, ius and other things
            1. -1
              10 February 2021 22: 40
              Quote: Object.F7
              Who do you have?


              The character with the nickname Object.F7 and other witnesses to the steepness of the pair Su-57 + Hunter.

              Quote: Object.F7
              unification with drying was declared


              Anything can be declared, but you claim that the "Su-57 + Hunter pair" is already superior. At the same time, there are simply no statements about the integration of radar, OLS and weapons (except for bombs). And everything is so with you.
    2. -2
      10 February 2021 20: 52
      1) Hunter is a subsonic drone. The flying wing scheme does not imply
      maneuverability. Here is stealth, yes, embodied.

      2) It will be very inconvenient for the Hunter to work in tandem with the Su-57.
      Su-57 is a high-speed maneuverable fighter for gaining air superiority.
      The Hunter is a subsonic non-maneuverable drone.
      For the Su-57, the optimal speed is 1.2 - 1.3 MAX, for the Hunter - 0.8 - 0.9 MAX.
      How can they fly together?
      1. -3
        10 February 2021 21: 31
        Quote: voyaka uh
        Here is stealth, yes, embodied.


        What is the basis for the assertion that it has already been embodied?
        1. -1
          10 February 2021 21: 39
          The shape of the apparatus. There are no keels, no tail. This is already a lot.
          1. -1
            10 February 2021 21: 42
            So we can say that any such device is hardly noticeable.
            1. -1
              10 February 2021 21: 55
              Here is the optimal form of stealth radio in all bands: from centimeter to meter waves (inclusive). R-21 Raider.
              But, of course, additional radio-absorbing airframe materials and coating are needed.
              1. The comment was deleted.
              2. -1
                10 February 2021 23: 30
                Some kind of torn square of Malevich.
                What is this anyway?
      2. 0
        10 February 2021 22: 00
        1. I also considered subsonic speed to be a significant disadvantage, but as it turned out, the F-35 is also subsonic due to the requirements for maintaining the stealth coating. Maneuverable battle The hunter will lose if the encounter occurs. But at long distances, the unmanned aircraft will have the right to the first shots due to the best EPR. Here, of course, one must take into account at what heights the meeting and the terrain. 2) 57 will most likely roam a couple of tens of kilometers and act according to the situation.
        1. -1
          10 February 2021 22: 24
          Quote: Object.F7
          I also considered subsonic speed to be a significant disadvantage, but as it turned out, the F-35 is also subsonic


          But the Hunter is a pair for the Su-57, not the F-35.
  8. -1
    10 February 2021 23: 28
    I'm not in the subject, but as I understand it
    we have something similar
    should already be? If it matters.
    It is clear that the US is free to squander
    means right and left.
    The article does not indicate whether this "nonsense" is needed
    or not.
    I would like an opinion more or less
    knowledgeable to hear.

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