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Defense Speak Interpreted: The Autonomous Plane Battle—Skyborg Vs. Loyal Wingman

I’m awaiting the updates for the U.S. Air Force's Skyborg and Loyal Wingman airborne driverless vehicles. As the hype of self-driving cars has given way to more mundane autonomous activities, so too has the hype of uncrewed planes given way to reality. In cars, the SAE International association classifies degrees of autonomy from 0 to 5, as do some defense aerospace applications of unmanned flight, which have been reduced to practice, while others remain under development. Autonomous guidance for planes is not developing as fast as drone weapons in Ukraine, but I believe that those battlefield technologies may be quickly adapted to autonomous flight in the future.

The key concept from my May 2020 mention of the Loyal Wingman and my January 2021 column on Skyborg was the definition of an attritable weapon, where the munition usually comes back for maintenance and reloading, but is designed for some acceptable losses on missions. i.e., attrition. Thus, the cost of attritable weapons must be far below the cost of a pilot-flown plane.

Skyborg is the U.S. Air Force’s Vanguard program, developing a portable, adaptable, and modular artificial intelligence (AI) system to control a new family of low-cost, attritable unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). The goal is to create AI-powered drones to fly autonomously, fight, and team with manned aircraft to provide air dominance and enhance the capabilities of the Air Force in complex, high-risk environments. 

There is a slight difference between Loyal Wingman and Skyborg. In 2025, Skyborg aims for the AI capability to fly a plane autonomously, while Loyal Wingman attaches itself to specific pilot/companion activities. Skyborg would allow a group of drones to operate together, potentially as a “Skyborg swarm” that “thinks” as a group. Loyal Wingman implies instructions will come from a nearby pilot.

The Loyal Wingman programs have specific weapons targets, for instance, Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat. Boeing is developing the MQ-28 in Australia, in cooperation with the Royal Australian Air Force.  

This may be the best example of the Five Eyes (FVEY) cooperative defense development between the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This picture of the MQ-28 reminds us that it’s simpler than an F-22 or F-35 fighter. There is no capability for human flight. It is more complicated and faster than a Reaper drone. One of the MQ-28’s impressive innovations is that its nose section can be quickly switched out between:

• Offensive operations, such as weapons fights
• Intelligence gathering with radar and receivers
• Electronic warfare with jamming capabilities to protect a regularly piloted plane

The MQ-28 is designed for stealth, as seen in its shape. Its estimated cost is 10% of a crewed fighter jet. Its range is 2,000 miles. FVEY has built and flight-tested eight prototypes, and live-fire exercises will take place later this year, with upgrades.

Another program I mentioned in 2021 continues within the United States: the Kratos Valkyrie XQ-58A—a high-performance, low-cost, and stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed to operate with manned aircraft. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), developed it. There are similarities between Valkyrie and Ghost Bat, as expected with AFRL involvement. However, both the Navy and Marine Corps are involved in the development of Valkyrie.

The Valkyrie version shown here does not have fixed landing gear. It is capable of rocket-assisted take-off and parachute landings. However, a landing-capable version is in development. Simplicity allows a target delivered price of $5.5 million. The Valkyrie has a 600-pound bomb capability or can carry 600 pounds of weapons under its wings.

First flight tested in 2023, the Valkyrie has a range of 3,500 miles. The U.S. Marines are leading evaluations of the Valkyrie to accompany its fighter jets, and the U.S. Navy has ordered two Valkyries for testing. It is also being made available to the German Air Force through Airbus Industries.

Another major supplier in the drone business is General Atomics. It has been making “Reaper” and “Predator” drones for over a decade and is not to be left behind in the Skyborg competition. Last month, General Atomics YFQ-42A announced it is ready for test flights. Anduril, which I mentioned briefly in 2021, is another company under contract to build prototypes for the Air Force. In August, Anduril said in a statement that flight testing for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the YFQ-44 Fury, will “begin soon.”1

A final category of flying drones deals with non-combat roles. The Navy MQ-25 is a refueling drone to support combat fighters away from their home carriers. The Navy, using electrically powered unmanned aircraft to ferry freight between its locations in Hawaii during the Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise this summer, demonstrated freight delivery by drone and rechargeable electric airplanes. 

In summary, the Skyborg/Loyal Wingman programs are demonstrating unmanned flight, with the subtle difference being whether control comes from a nearby fighter jet or if it is fully autonomous.

References 

1. “General Atomics begins flight tests for Air Force CCA drone program.” DefenseScoop, Mikayla Easley, Aug. 27, 2025.

Denny Fritz was a 20-year direct employee of MacDermid Inc. and retired after 12 years as a senior engineer supporting the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana.