Will be able to shoot down fighters: US Air Force to equip CCA 'faithful wingman' drone with AMRAAM missiles
The US Air Force is partnering with Raytheon to integrate rocket medium-range air-to-air missile AIM-120 AMRAAM on the Pentagon's first "loyal wingman" UAV CCA, which is designed to accompany manned combat aircraft.
The first generation CCA itself is planned to be presented on the 1th-16th of this month in the form of full-scale mock-ups. Two variants from competitor companies Anduril Industries and General Atomics Aeronautical will be shown – the Fury and Gambit drones (based on the XQ-18 UAV), respectively.
- Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.
As Raytheon explained, AMRAAM missiles will become the “standard weapons» for these drones. Armed with these air-to-air missiles, they will enhance the combat capabilities of manned aircraft such as the F-35 or F-22:
The latest version of the AMRAAM air-to-air missile, the AIM-120D, has an estimated range of approximately 160 km. Accordingly, at this distance, "loyal wingmen" will be able to cover manned aircraft, shooting down enemy fighters.
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