Australia’s Loyal Wingman UAV makes first flight, to build more prototypes

The Loyal Wingman UAV during first flight test on 27 February 2021. Photo c/o Boeing Australia.

The Australian aviation industry reached a milestone as the Boeing Australia Airpower Teaming System “Loyal Wingman” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has taken its first flight in Woomera Range Complex in South Australia on 27 February 2021.

The UAV took off under its own power, and flew under a pre-determined route in different speed and altitude, before landing on its own. 

While the flight was made autonomously, a human pilot supervisor was on the ground to check the entire flight. While the aircraft was designed to use artificial intelligence, the flight test did not prioritize this capability.

The UAV, a joint venture between Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), is the first Australian-designed and built military aircraft in over 50 years.

The first flight was made within just 3 years after Boeing Australia agreed to design and build the UAVs with the RAAF.

With the successful test flight, the RAAF signed another contract with Boeing Australia worth $115 million to build 3 more Loyal Wingman UAVs 

The Airpower Teaming System was designed to be a force multiplier system that uses artificial intelligence and work as a smart team with existing military aircraft to complement and extend airborne missions.

The Loyal Wingman UAV is 38 feet long, has a wingspoan of 24 feet, and features a removal nose designed to carry specific mission-specific sensors and subsystems. The UAV has a maximum range exceeding 2,000 nautical miles.

[1] Australian Department of Defence

[2] CNet

[3] Flight Global