The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have sent their first unmanned F-16 jet plane into the air — a drone craft test that promises to change the shape of battlefield missions in years to come.

“Now we have a mission-capable, highly sustainable, full-scaled aerial target to take us into the future,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Inman, in Sky News.

The unmanned plane was test-flown by two pilots at a ground control station at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, The New York Post reported.

It was deemed a success.

The drone F-16 performed all of its take-off sequencing, as well as all its simulated maneuvers and flight and landing procedures, the military reported, in a statement to Sky News.

“It was a little different to see an F-16 take off without anyone in it, but it was a great flight all the way around,” Lt. Col. Inman said.

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