RTX Tests Autonomy on GA-ASI Drone
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, successfully tested its Sidekick mission autonomy software on a YFQ-42A uncrewed jet developed by General Atomics. The software enabled a semi-autonomous test flight. The demonstration showcased the software's capability as part of the DoD's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.
- The test flight lasted for over four hours, during which a human operator on the ground sent commands to the YFQ-42A, which the aircraft then executed with high accuracy. - Collins Aerospace's Sidekick software was integrated using the government-owned Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), which is designed to create a competitive ecosystem for algorithms and avoid being locked into a single vendor. - The CCA program is a major Air Force initiative with plans to field at least 1,000 uncrewed aircraft to fly alongside crewed fighters like the F-35 and the upcoming Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform. - The YFQ-42A, developed by General Atomics, is one of two drone designs in the first increment of the CCA program, the other being Anduril's YFQ-44A which will use autonomy software from Shield AI. - The broader NGAD program, which includes the CCA initiative, is projected to have a research and development budget of nearly $28.5 billion between fiscal years 2025 and 2029. - This test of the Sidekick software represents a significant step for the CCA program, which aims to have its first uncrewed aircraft ready for combat in 2028. - The U.S. Marine Corps has also selected the YFQ-42A to evaluate how this type of collaborative aircraft can integrate with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. - The overarching goal of the CCA program is to increase the survivability, lethality, and mission effectiveness of crewed aircraft in contested environments by using autonomous systems as a force multiplier.
