Ahhh but this one will remove all those nasty little headaches for us, no more worrying about things that go bang. Worrying about how best to replace Frigates, Tanks, Fighters and Submarines. Will have to learn the words to Kumbaya though
www.airforce-technology.com
www.geekwire.com
en.wikipedia.org
Indeed, it’s technological achievements are hardly on the scale of say Gremlin for instance…
Online reports say it could be linked with E7 Wedgetails and P8 Poseidens. I wonder why the LW isn't bigger, for longer range. It can keep up with a F-35/F-18, but not anything else. Perhaps it's early days and after the prototypes are done, they'll make larger versions, with both more fuel and internal weapons?
theaviationist.com
Because its an experimental proof of concept program, that is why. I posted the official RAAF description earlier in the thread. Read that instead of trying to insinuate something that is not there.Online reports say it could be linked with E7 Wedgetails and P8 Poseidens. I wonder why the LW isn't bigger, for longer range. It can keep up with a F-35/F-18, but not anything else. Perhaps it's early days and after the prototypes are done, they'll make larger versions, with both more fuel and internal weapons?
Let's Talk About Boeing Loyal Wingman Unmanned Aerial Vehicle's First Flight
The new digitally engineered Boeing Loyal Wingman UAV went from design to the first flight in just three years. Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force
And leads into the Teaming Air Vehicles project in 2025-ish.
To save this topic from passive aggressive mod comments, I'll summarize: Loyal Wingman is a test program. Only six have been ordered.
www.australiandefence.com.au
FYI this particular Mod doesn't do passive aggressive. I just tell it as it is.To save this topic from passive aggressive mod comments, I'll summarize: Loyal Wingman is a test program. Only six have been ordered.
I too share in the skeptisism and hope of some users here that Loyal Wingman actually has some utility and capability beyond buzzwords, and I too share in the hope that only a small number of Loyal Wingmans are made, in the hope that a larger and more useful aircraft is born.
"However, the recent FSP2020 document does not specifically mention F-35s, instead referring to an ‘additional air combat capability’ from around 2025. The funding for this capability is projected to be between $4.5 and $6.7 billion, but is separate to funding for the RAAF’s Teaming Air Vehicles (Boeing Loyal Wingman) program, which will see between $7.4 and $11 billion spent from around 2027. "
A question of timing – the future of the RAAF’s air combat force - Australian Defence Magazine
Australia's acquisition of long-range strike weapons will arguably have an effect on the composition of the RAAF’s air combat force between now and 2040, but it’s all a question of timing.
There are a growing number of potential weapons in the 1.8 metre class.
www.airforcemag.com
The length of the bay doors appear to be around 3m on the models, maybe the bay is internally restricted to 1.8m length. We will see.There are a growing number of potential weapons in the 1.8 metre class.
SDB, Brimstone and SPEAR III for example in the Air to Ground role.
If "Peregrine" comes to fruition then a suitable medium range Air to Air Missile will also be available.
Raytheon Unveils New Air-to-Air Missile | Air & Space Forces Magazine
Raytheon is proposing its new Peregrine missile as a complement to the AIM-120 and AIM-9X in the air-to-air role. The missile would be half the size and weight of the previous missiles, but with more range, increasing the number of...
The Loyal Wingman a proof of concept program. There's no intention for it to go into combat. However if it is decided to advance to an operational program then that we be informed by the learnings from the Loyal Wingman program. This has to be a crawl, walk, run process otherwise the probability of failure is to risky. Loyal Wingman is IIRC subsonic, but for such a capability to work with the F-35, it must have supersonic and supercruise capability, as well as a similar speed and and combat radius to the F-35. Otherwise it's a waste of time and treasure.
