Defence, Boeing give update on Loyal Wingman test flights

Two Loyal Wingman aircraft have recently completed flight missions from South Australia’s Woomera Range complex, the Department of Defence and Boeing have said in an update.

The Royal Australian Air Force and Boeing Australia are partnered on the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, which also involves over 30 Australian businesses. 

“We’re in a steady rhythm of flight testing on the way to mission and operational testing, enabling Boeing Australia, RAAF and our Australian industry team of more than 35 companies to progressively advance the flight characteristics and capabilities of the uncrewed teaming system,” said Glen Ferguson, director of Boeing Airpower Teaming System – Australia and International, in a statement released on Thursday afternoon

The autonomous plane will have a range of more than 3,700 kilometres, and is designed to fly in a team with manned jets such as the F-35 joint strike fighter, providing dispersed sensor and operational capabilities. 

Development was “on the way” to teaming the Wingman with existing air platforms, said Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal, Mel Hupfeld.  

The missions saw the teams collect “aircraft performance data that will be used to inform and refine the digital twin,” of the planes, ideally to “accelerate the aircraft’s development where possible,” according to Boeing. 

“The digital twin models the system’s entire lifecycle, from design and development to production and sustainment, and contributes to speed and first-time quality.”

Defence said that a highlight moment was the first time the landing gear was raised and engaged, the program “continues to excel” and three aircraft in phase one were on track to be delivered before the end of the year. 

The first flight by a prototype (pictured) was in February, from Woomera Range Complex in South Australia.

In September Boeing announced Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba had been selected as the site to build a new factory for assembling the planes, which will be the first military aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia in over half a century.

The Queensland government said at the time that project could generate “up to $1 billion dollars for Queensland’s economy over 10 years, with more than just defence industries to benefit.”

Picture: Boeing

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