US Navy Carries Out Test Flight of Jets Adapted for Autonomy

Two electronic warfare planes became robotic wingmen to human-piloted jet

A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler assigned to the USS Carl Vinson breaks away from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron after conducting in-air refueling over the Western Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2017. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier

The U.S. military’s vision of the unmanned wingman—dogged, unflappable, and ready to make the ultimate sacrifice—has moved a step closer to reality with the successful test of two autonomously piloted Navy jets.

Boeing confirmed on Jan. 5 that the Navy simultaneously flew two autonomously piloted carrier jets, using a third human-piloted jet as a mission controller.