US Military Tests Interoperable Drone Fleets
What happened
The U.S. Air Force successfully tested "interoperable autonomy" between competing drone platforms from General Atomics and Anduril. The test used a common control architecture, a key step toward enabling mixed-vendor drone swarms. In a related development, the U.S. Marine Corps' ROGUE-Fires ground vehicle has been made fully driverless using technology from autonomous trucking company Kodiak.
Why it matters
- The drone interoperability test is a key part of the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to pair at least 1,000 autonomous drones with crewed fighters like the F-35 and the next-generation fighter. The CCA initiative is a component of the larger Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, a "system-of-systems" approach to future air superiority. - The General Atomics platform is the YFQ-42A, developed from the XQ-67A prototype. This design uses a modular "genus" approach, where a common chassis can be adapted for different missions, such as serving as a flying sensor station or a weapons platform. The Anduril platform in the competition is designated the YFQ-44A. - The common control system used in the test is the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA). This open architecture is designed to prevent vendor lock-in, allowing the Air Force to use a competitive ecosystem of AI and autonomy software from various developers on any compliant drone. - Anduril's broader portfolio includes the Roadrunner, a reusable, twin-jet powered VTOL autonomous vehicle. Its Roadrunner-M variant is a high-explosive interceptor designed to counter aerial threats at a fraction of the cost of traditional air defense missiles, and it can be recovered and refueled if not used. - The Marine's ROGUE-Fires vehicle is an unmanned version of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) that functions as a mobile launcher for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). This capability is central to the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 initiative, enabling land-based anti-ship operations in coastal areas. - Kodiak's "Kodiak Driver" AI is a dual-use technology, adapted from its primary application in commercial autonomous long-haul trucking. The company previously secured a contract worth up to $50 million to develop autonomous vehicles for the U.S. Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle program. - Kodiak's system for military use is designed for rugged, off-road environments and areas with degraded GPS. It uses modular, swappable "DefensePods" for its sensors, allowing for quick field repairs without specialized training. - The broader military push for autonomous systems includes the Air Force's VENOM program, which modifies F-16s into testbeds for autonomy software, and the Army's Remote Technology Kernel (RTK), a government-owned autonomy software stack also used on the ROGUE-Fires vehicle.
Key numbers
- - The drone interoperability test is a key part of the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to pair at least 1,000 autonomous drones with crewed fighters like the F-35 and the next-generation fighter.
- The General Atomics platform is the YFQ-42A, developed from the XQ-67A prototype.
- The Anduril platform in the competition is designated the YFQ-44A.
- This capability is central to the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 initiative, enabling land-based anti-ship operations in coastal areas.
What happens next
- The drone interoperability test is a key part of the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to pair at least 1,000 autonomous drones with crewed fighters like the F-35 and the next-generation fighter.
- The CCA initiative is a component of the larger Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, a "system-of-systems" approach to future air superiority.
Quick answers
What happened in US Military Tests Interoperable Drone Fleets?
The U.S. Air Force successfully tested "interoperable autonomy" between competing drone platforms from General Atomics and Anduril. The test used a common control architecture, a key step toward enabling mixed-vendor drone swarms. In a related development, the U.S. Marine Corps' ROGUE-Fires ground vehicle has been made fully driverless using technology from autonomous trucking company Kodiak.
Why does US Military Tests Interoperable Drone Fleets matter?
The drone interoperability test is a key part of the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to pair at least 1,000 autonomous drones with crewed fighters like the F-35 and the next-generation fighter. The CCA initiative is a component of the larger Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, a "system-of-systems" approach to future air superiority. The General Atomics platform is the YFQ-42A, developed from the XQ-67A prototype. This design uses a modular "genus" approach, where a common chassis can be adapted for different missions, such as serving as a flying sensor station or a weapons platform. The Anduril platform in the competition is designated the YFQ-44A. The common control system used in the test is the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA). This open architecture is designed to prevent vendor lock-in, allowing the Air Force to use a competitive ecosystem of AI and autonomy software from various developers on any compliant drone. Anduril's broader portfolio includes the Roadrunner, a reusable, twin-jet powered VTOL autonomous vehicle. Its Roadrunner-M variant is a high-explosive interceptor designed to counter aerial threats at a fraction of the cost of traditional air defense missiles, and it can be recovered and refueled if not used. The Marine's ROGUE-Fires vehicle is an unmanned version of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) that functions as a mobile launcher for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). This capability is central to the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 initiative, enabling land-based anti-ship operations in coastal areas. Kodiak's "Kodiak Driver" AI is a dual-use technology, adapted from its primary application in commercial autonomous long-haul trucking. The company previously secured a contract worth up to $50 million to develop autonomous vehicles for the U.S. Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle program. Kodiak's system for military use is designed for rugged, off-road environments and areas with degraded GPS. It uses modular, swappable "DefensePods" for its sensors, allowing for quick field repairs without specialized training. The broader military push for autonomous systems includes the Air Force's VENOM program, which modifies F-16s into testbeds for autonomy software, and the Army's Remote Technology Kernel (RTK), a government-owned autonomy software stack also used on the ROGUE-Fires vehicle.
