A “loyal wingman” drone designed to work with manned fighters — and take the hit for them if need be — made its first flight on Tuesday.

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While Australia and Boeing made the big news last week with their plans to build a loyal wingman drone for the export market, the Air Force Research Lab actually flew a working prototype, specifically designed for the US.

The XQ-58A Valkyrie was built by Kratos, a mid-sized defense firm with big ambitions for the drone market. The plane is designed to be low cost so the US can buy them in large numbers and afford to lose a lot in lieu of expensive manned aircraft crewed by expensively trained human pilots. The goal is multiple loyal wingmen working with a single manned aircraft, like a huntsman with his hounds: The drones would carry and launch extra weapons, jam enemy radars, scout ahead into danger zones, and if need be deliberately decoy enemy weapons away from their human commander.

The manned aircraft specifically mentioned most often — including by the Boeing-Australian program — is the F-35, since it will be the main frontline plane, using its stealth to penetrate hostile airspace and its sensors to gather the targeting data for the first strike packages.

ADD BEGINS The loyal wingman concept means the other aircraft can, at least, be controlled by a pilot. In the Valkyrie’s case, the plane’s capabilities range “from the low side of semi-autonomous (operator directed, autopilot stabilized) to the side of semi-autonomous (waypoint nav),” AFRL spokesman Bryan Ripple said in an email. “The system includes standard interfaces to enable full autonomy for missions where standoff airborne or ground control pilot vehicle interface would be needed.”ADD ENDS