(04-06-2022, 04:56 AM)DJC date Wrote:The MQ-28A "Loyal Wingman" (they could have called it David Glascott), now known as Ghost Bat, is the Super-Hornet, F-35 force extender. Its new name was recently announced at a naming ceremony at RAAF Amberley and the aircraft has now completed three test flights. I suspect that it would cost us a packet if we were to pull out of the joint design/construction project with Boeing ... but it is defence procurement.Although Loyal Wingman is a drone, it important to highlight it is not what people think of when they talk about drones, it's basically a 2/3rds scale pilotless fighter jet / robotic wingman costing $20M a piece. Cheaper than a fighter jet and no human life is at risk and it is not constrained by human flight limits. It really is what an associate described as the F35's angel.
FYI;
F35 = 15m long
LW = 11m long
Most people think about smaller sized gadgets launched of a tank or some other mobile armament, and these smaller gadgets are the devices having the major impact in Ukraine.
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"