:

Advanced / Transformational Technology

AFRL Conducts First Flight Test of Skyborg Autonomy Core System

Frank Wolfe

Wednesday, May 5th, 2021

SHARE:

AFRL Conducts First Flight Test of Skyborg Autonomy Core System

The Skyborg autonomy core system launches aboard a Kratos UTAP-22 tactical unmanned aerial vehicle at Tyndall AFB, Fla. on April 29 (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) conducted a first flight test on Apr. 29th of what is to be the collaboration and autonomy-enabling "brain" of Skyborg--the autonomy core system (ACS)--aboard a Kratos [KTOS] UTAP-22 Mako drone, AFRL said on May 5th. The flight from Tyndall AFB, Fla. lasted two hours and 10 minutes during which the ACS "performed a series of foundational behaviors necessary to characterize safe system operation," AFRL said in a statement. "The ACS demonstrated basic aviation capabilities…

Congress

House Authorizers Retain Battleship Funding, But Want Nuclear-Power Report

The House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) Thursday markup of the FY 2027 defense authorization bill rejected an amendment to cut funding for the new Trump-class battleship (BBG(X)), but did agree […]

Congress

HASC Rejects $150 Billion Topline Cut, Iran Cost Transparency Proposals At NDAA Markup

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) on Thursday rejected a Democrat-led proposal to cut the $1.15 trillion fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by $150 billion, as the […]

HASC Wants Pentagon List Of Critical F-35 Technical Data Rights And Estimate Of Cost To Buy Them For Repairs

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) wants the Pentagon to inform the committee of critical technical data rights for the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 fighter and how much it would […]

Space

NRO Nominee: “We Have To Look Differently At Our Requirements”

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has said that it has launched more than 200 proliferated low Earth orbit satellites in the last two years to supplement the costly high-end systems […]