Boeing has unveiled its newest unmanned platform, the Airpower Teaming System. Built by Boeing Australia, the military drone will complement existing military aircraft, and extend airborne missions.
“The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces’ manned/unmanned missions,” says Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems. “With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing’s portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power.”
The system will provide “fighter-like performance” as it carries its 38-ft-long structure more than 2,000 nautical miles, according to Boeing. Electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) efforts will receive support from an onboard, integrated sensor package. To complement other aircraft while keeping a safe distance, or for independent flight, the system will use artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Boeing, this marks the company’s “largest investment in a new unmanned aircraft program outside the United States.”
Its maiden flight is scheduled for next year. However, a model of the system was unveiled at the Australian International Airshow February 27, seen in the photo below.
(Image Source: Boeing)
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense, AI • machine learning
