From theregister.com
AI-piloted drones that accompany and assist human-piloted fighter jets are very much on military minds – and Airbus is showing off its take on the technology.
The aerospace giant was at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin this week with a full-scale model of its Wingman drone – an “unmanned escort for manned fighter jets.” As many countries are envisioning, autonomous drones can act as support for human pilots by carrying out reconnaissance, refueling, acting as a radar platform, or even attacking human targets.
“The German Air Force has expressed a clear need for an unmanned aircraft flying with and supporting missions of its manned fighter jets before the Future Combat Air System will be operational in 2040,” Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn explained in a statement. “Our Wingman concept is the answer.”